Learning to Crawl
by BlueberryGoneRed
Summary: John Cena is trying to drink his feelings away after his very public breakup with Nikki Bella. He takes a wrong step and finds himself back in 2002, when Liz was his girlfriend. Despite being enemies in the past, John turns to Randy Orton for help. He slowly begins to realize that Randy has been the only constant in his life, and his true love may have been with him all along.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Just trying something new. Please review and let me know that you are reading it.

1:

John Cena did not know who he was, anymore.

He walked along the streets of Boston. It was late, or it was very early. He couldn't quite tell. He had been drinking so much, his eyes were blurry. His mouth tasted like salt. His stomach churned and his legs felt like jelly.

Vague faces appeared to pass him as he walked. Some of them may have recognized him. John didn't recognize them. One face stayed in his line of vision a little too long. John waved his hand over his own face and slurred, "Yew cunt see me."

The face melted away.

Night was dark and moonless. The city seemed less active. John's mind bled with memories of the good times he shared with Nikki. Happy times that should have never been. Times that he didn't think he deserved.

"She still loves me," he told himself, perhaps to ease some of the pain.

His eyes rolled up into his head. John stopped and slumped against a nearby wall. He could hear water running somewhere nearby. He wasn't sure how much longer he could walk before all that he consumed at the bar came back up.

"She still loves me," he repeated, as if it would make a difference.

John stood up straight. He felt a moment of regret. He had come here to visit his parents and spend some time with his family before he went back to his wrestling and filming schedule. He would be busy for at least the next seven months. His family shouldn't have to see him like this.

"My family... _my_ _family_ ," John said aloud.

He started walking, again. He was bound to walk back to his parent's house, or at least that's what he was telling himself. He managed to wander up to an old bridge that came over a small river. He should've known the name of the river. He was drunk enough to decide that he could re-name it Nikki.

"Niiiiiikkkkiiiiiii!" he shouted beyond the bridge.

The water rushed and waved underneath him, sounding displeased with the choice of a name. It was not Nikki. It was older than Nikki. It would be here long after Nikki.

This revelation seemed to upset John in an unexpected way. He climbed up on the stone bridge and threatened to jump into the water and thrash it around for daring to go on after Nikki was gone. It seemed disrespectful. Heartbreaking, even. John could not let that stand.

"How dare you! How dare-" John leaned over and puked into the river.

He felt like he was floating over the water. A momentary voice in the back of his head told him he was in danger. He ignored it and continued to lean over the edge, staring at the water and its brown, ugly depths.

A memory came into his mind of Nikki laughing in their kitchen. The memory made John feel sad, and then angry.

"Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" he screamed at the river.

A ringing jarred his thoughts. It seemed like forever before John realized it was the cell phone in his pocket that was making all the damned noise. He took his phone out and stared at the screen. The call had gone to voicemail.

John saw the name on the screen, but it didn't register to him until he hit the call back and a familiar voice answered, "John?"

"What the fuck, Randy? Why're you calling so late?" John thought he sounded like this.

"What? What are you saying?" Randy confirmed the words were not so clear.

John yelled into the phone, "Why're you calling so late?!"

"I should ask you the same thing!" Randy sounded angry.

John was confused. This conversation was not going anywhere. John searched for a way to end the call, but he was only pressing the screen until Randy asked, "Are you drunk?"

"Off my ass!" John believed it to be a cut-down to prove Randy right.

"Where are you?" Randy asked.

John took a moment to gather himself. He glanced around. The bridge was dark and empty. There were no obvious signs around, or perhaps he simply couldn't read them in his drowned out state.

"Fuck if I know," John shrugged, not realizing Randy couldn't see his body.

"I called you because I'm in the area. I came up to see you. Let me know where you are and I'll-"

John dropped the phone before Randy could finish. His phone clattered on the ground and cracked the screen. John bent down to retrieve the phone, cursing as he went. He hadn't realized he was still up on the edge of the bridge until he had hit the ground with both knees.

He cried out in pain. It echoed through the night air. John took his phone and beat it against the ground a few more times, blaming the tiny electronic for his mistake. The light from the phone went out, and John tossed it over his head and into the river.

John sat there for what felt like a long time. He rose back up to his feet and looked out at his surroundings. He should've given Randy a clue as to where he was. At this rate, no one would ever find him.

"Bitch," John cursed the river that he had named Nikki.

He started walking back the way he came. He would find a familiar place soon, enough.

John walked.

And walked.

And walked.

There was nothing familiar about this place.

Yet, it felt like _home_.

"John, are you coming?" someone asked from ahead of him.

He looked up and saw Adam Copeland standing there. This was a different Edge, a version from the distant past. He was younger, his hair was longer, and his outfit was vintage.

"Think fast!" Christian ran past John in a hurry.

He recognized Christian because of the weird way he ran. John was dumbfounded as he watched the two take off down the hallway and disappear out of sight. John twisted around to check out the hallway itself. It was painted cinder block, the layout of most arenas, with steel gray doors lining either end.

Edge and Christian had gone through a black area at the end of the hall. John dared to follow them. When he reached the end, he recognized the curtains that led to the arena.

The curtains were velvet and out of style. John felt a cool breeze against his chest and he looked down to see that he was also in his ring gear, but his sneakers were the classic ones he used to pump up in the ring.

John couldn't believe his eyes. He told himself he must be dreaming. There was no way he was here, in this place, at this point in time.

"Yeah, sure," a familiar voice caught his attention.

John turned around and saw Randy Orton talking to someone with a ridiculously large headset on. Randy was dressed out in his ring trunks, but there was a distinct difference in his overall look. He was much younger, his tattoos looked more fresh, and he was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

This was the Randy that John didn't get along with.

He was the pre-father Randy. The cocky drug addict who didn't know his own talent. John couldn't remember how many times he butted heads with this Randy, or how many times this Randy had tried to get him fired.

That's when it hit John like a ton of bricks: He remembered this day. This was the day Randy Orton nearly killed him.


	2. Chapter 2

2:

Believing himself to be dreaming, John closed his eyes for a long while. He listened to the sounds around him and tried to discern them as something near to his current reality. John could not recall when he may have fallen asleep. He only remembered walking. He tried to imagine himself getting back to his car. He told himself he had made it but he chose to sleep in the car instead of trying to drive home because he was heavily inebriated.

The noise of a faraway crowd could be easily explained away as the sound of rainfall or a number of cars driving by.

A faint whistling nearby could also be any number of things, such as a street light trying to burn out, or perhaps he rolled down his window slightly while he was getting back inside and it was just a breeze coming through.

He willed himself to wake up.

The sound of Randy's deep Missourian drawl would not leave him alone.

John slowly opened his eyes, again. He was still in the same arena. He seemed sober enough. It was unusually cold, but no less real than the bridge he was leaving in a drunken stupor only moments ago.

"Hey, Prototype!" Randy caught sight of John and nodded his cleft chin in his rival's direction.

John took in a sharp breath. He was reminded that this was not Randy his friend, but rather the Randy who was often hopped up on a cocktail of pain killers and other sorts and who gave no shits about potential consequences.

Although he still believed himself to be in a dream, John decided to play along. He had trouble keeping his smile from looking too friendly. This Randy would not have knowledge of their long history.

"What's up, Orton?" John remained calm.

Orton started to come towards him at an alarmingly fast rate. John tried to recall this moment in his past. He remembered the day that Randy Orton nearly killed him, but he was having trouble remembering all of the events that occurred within that day.

"What did you say to me?" Randy was suddenly inches from John's face.

It was one of many stare-downs that John would be on the receiving end of. This Randy was not aware of personal space and chose to simply ignore it. He also tended to ignore the benefits of breath mints.

John blinked with surprise when he breathed in and found Randy's breath to be as pungent as he remembered. It was a small detail from his past, which made it all the more confusing that it would be featured in a dream.

"I said what's up," John lifted his brows.

Randy shook his head and clicked his tongue like he was internally questioning John's level of intelligence. If John were the same man he was to this Randy, he would've made a smart-ass remark about the pot calling the kettle black and such. Randy probably would've been confused by the joke, as he often was because he was not a smart man and he did not think as fast on his feet. The conversation would quickly deteriorate into a series of blows, which crew members would be forced to split up, and Randy would be threatening him within an inch of his life while John gave him no satisfaction beyond a cocky smile.

Instead, this John was reminded of _Nikki_.

It made him feel sad. He tried to hide it from Randy's excruciatingly penetrating eyes. Orton may not have been the brightest bulb on the roster. He was a self-saboteur who came across to many as self-involved and narcissistic. It took years of building their friendship before John learned that Randy, perhaps ironically, did carry a natural skill for accurately reading the body language and expressions of others. Randy rarely shared his perceptions based upon this skill, which is why only those closest to him are aware of it.

Randy blinked and cocked his head to one-side. It was his common reaction to reading others, and it would one day become the signature look of his Viper image. John always liked the look. It gave Randy a bit of sex appeal, something reflected by the audience who adored him despite his mostly heel career.

"I should go. I've got..." John was trying to think of an excuse to leave the slightly younger man.

Randy took a step back. He remained cautious, tediously looking over John with his gray eyes. This Randy was not prepared for a John who didn't immediately provoke him.

"Orton! Where have you been!" a familiar voice called from a short distance away.

Ric Flair appeared from one of the hallways. He was wearing a white robe covered in feathers and adorned with reflective accessories that looked fabulous on camera, but were nearly blinding to naked eyes up close. Flair spread his arms out wide as if he planned to envelope Orton in a hug. In typical Flair fashion, he stopped just short of an embrace, making it appear as though his need to peacock himself was actually meant for attention and perhaps a compliment or two.

John was struck by how young Flair looked. With Randy distracted, John took the opportunity to slip away.

He was traveling down the hallway with the hope of finding some signage with a clue as to which arena he was in. He was knowledgeable about the layout of many arenas that he had passed through in his lifetime, but their former looks had long since left his memory. They were replaced by the renovated versions. If this were the day he believed it was, the day that Randy Orton nearly killed him, they would be wrestling a house show in Bensenville, Illinois.

A sign for the arena finally appeared, though it was vintage. John was surprised that his dream was so detailed as to make the sign for the arena appear authentic to the time.

"Hey, Gringo! Which way you headed?"

John turned to face a man he hadn't seen in a very long time.

Eddie Guerrero stood before him. Eddie was leaning a bit to the left and giving John a crooked smile as he waited for a response. Past John would've given Eddie reason to laugh, so this John went along with it, "I'm going straight to hell."

Eddie laughed out loud. His big, booming, hearty laugh that John never knew he would miss so much until it was gone. He was seized by the moment to tell Eddie of his future. The man would die suddenly and without many of his affairs in order. It would set off a chain of events that would directly impact Chris Benoit, leading to one of the bleakest times in the history of professional wrestling.

John felt Eddie's hand pat his shoulder. Eddie was still chuckling as he replied, "You're as funny as always, _Cenorita_."

He smiled as the nickname Eddie always called him which he had nearly forgotten after so many years. Eddie wandered away, still chuckling.

John suddenly felt sick to his stomach. If this were just a dream, why did _he_ feel so real?


	3. Chapter 3

3:

John was lost to the trauma of being sent back in time. He denied that this place could be true, despite the smells, sounds, sights and emotions reminding him that he was truly there. He found an empty room far away from the others. He stood within it and closed his eyes. He meditated until he felt calm enough to reason his way out of this. He was resilient.

He tried to apply logic to the situation. He was very drunk when he first entered this place, yet he felt extremely sober, now. It was a sure sign that he must be dreaming.

John looked down at his clothes. His old jean shorts and sneakers with pumps were with him. He remembered having a t-shirt with a Boston emblem on it and newer jean shorts with newer sneakers before he came to this place. He tried to reason that this was just part of the dream and that's why he didn't remember changing clothes.

He repeated out loud that it was all a dream. It would explain a younger Edge, Christian and Randy. It would explain _Eddie_.

John could not recall ever having a dream so vivid, before. It planted doubts in his mind about his theory. _Why this day? Why the day that Randy nearly killed him?_

He considered another possibility. One that was far-fetched, but perhaps a better lead than the dream scenario.

John knew he had been under a lot of stress, lately. He had lost Nikki during a pivotal time in his life. He was trying to transition into movies and retire from wrestling. He was becoming more aware of his age and the toll years of wrestling had taken on his body. He was not poor by any means, but he had been losing money due to the rocky economy and a drop in popularity since Dean Ambrose rose up through the ranks.

John always knew that he could not stay at the top, forever. He was almost relieved that there was finally a suitable replacement. The timing seemed right to move on, but his breakup with Nikki had stalled his progress.

 _Perhaps he was brought back to this day to change his path?_

He wasn't sure how long this shift through time would last. If he played along with what was unfolding, John assumed that he could find some kind of closure. Maybe he would be returned to the present day by resolving the past and choosing differently.

John tried to remember more details about this day. John recognized that Nikki was not a part of his life on this day. Although he believed that it would make more sense to resolve past issues with her, whatever force put him here did not agree. John was suddenly struck with the realization that he was with someone at this point in time, but it was the last person he wanted to see.

 _Elizabeth_.

His former wife and the woman who put him on the path that would eventually lead him to lose Nikki. At this point in his life, John was still dating Elizabeth and the relationship was at a high point.

John wondered if he was sent here to break up with Elizabeth. _Was he never supposed to marry her at all? Would that save his future relationship with Nikki?_

Logically, it seemed unlikely, given that John still retained all of his memories. The only option he could consider is that breaking up with Elizabeth may erase these memories, thus setting him on the path to eventually marrying Nikki.

John was also aware of consequences. Choosing to end his relationship with Elizabeth may not erase the memories at all. It may set him down a different path, one where Nikki doesn't come up. There was a great deal of risk involved in choosing to change his past, though John was still doubtful that he was truly in the past, which made it hard to believe he was really changing anything at all.

But then there was _Randy_.

John felt it was important that he first appeared in the arena near where Randy was, and not at home where Elizabeth would be. This was also a day where Randy played a major role. It seemed illogical to John that, given his present circumstances with Nikki, he would be taken back to the past to deal with Randy. John felt that his current relationship with Randy was a good one, despite their tumultuous history.

John was struck with the idea that perhaps changing his relationship with Randy in the past could have some kind of an effect on his relationship with Nikki in the future. Perhaps Orton's friendship would prove to be an important piece of the puzzle. John considered the consequences, but found none. Turning Randy into a friend sooner rather than later gave no indication of a risk. It would be more beneficial than anything.

That is, if John could convince younger Randy to befriend him.

John tried to remember the moment that Randy nearly killed him. It was a confrontation in the parking lot outside of the arena. John was one of the last wrestlers to leave after the show, that night. Randy attacked him while John was getting into his rental car. Randy would later tell John that he was angry about something else, a fight he had with Triple H about taking too many painkillers.

Randy jumped John from behind and shoved him up against the rental car. John hit his head on the driver's side mirror and ended up with a concussion. The reason it nearly killed him was that John wasn't fully aware of the extent of his injuries. Randy took off and John had gone to a hotel and called Triple H to complain. It was Hunter who told him to see a doctor, and John was diagnosed just two hours, later. If John had gone to sleep like he planned to, he would've died.

It was an accident. John was still a newbie at that point and didn't take the extent of his injuries to Vince. Triple H must've said something anyway, because Randy was taken out of action for a couple of weeks. The official gossip was that Randy was out on injury. When Randy returned, he became even more withdrawn, seeking solace in his opiate addiction. Eventually, Randy would nearly kill himself from the effects of his addiction.

John decided that he had already begun to change the course of this day. When Randy confronted him just moments, earlier, John had reacted neutrally instead of aggressively. This was something Randy had not anticipated and it left him more confused than angry. John believed that all he had to do was stop Triple H from confronting Randy, which would in turn stop the attack from ever happening.

He remembered that Triple H usually hung out near the production trucks. This was because Stephanie spent a lot of time working with production.

The only thing John didn't know was exactly when Triple H confronted Randy. It was not like Hunter to argue out in the open. He would probably take Randy to an empty hallway or somewhere that wouldn't draw much attention if Randy reacted badly.

John was still considering his options when he heard voices coming from nearby.

The odds were slim that he would be in the same hallway where Hunter chose to take Randy, but the circumstances were already astronomically improbable. John wen to the door of the empty room and pressed his ear against the wood. He listened to make out the voices.

He distinctly heard Triple H say, "I know you don't wanna talk about this."

"Talk about what?" came Randy's more defensive tone.

John considered opening the door and stopping the conversation right then. He reached for the knob and started to turn it when he heard Triple H say, "You've got it bad for _The Kid_ , I know."

This statement made John halt his movements. He was caught by a memory of his first years coming up in the business. Triple H used to call John _The Kid_. It was a nickname that John never liked, because he wasn't sure if Triple H meant it out of affection or disdain.

"You've got to stop this. You're all messed up inside over him. It's affecting your progress," Triple H continued.

John wasn't sure what to make of this. He had never heard this conversation for himself, but Randy had told him that it was a fight about his overuse of painkillers, so why was Triple H talking to Randy about John, instead?

"You've got to let him go. Get him out of your mind. If you have to face him, you do it in the ring," Triple H lectured Randy.

The reality of the conversation was slowly beginning to creep into John's awareness. Randy had lied to him. This was not about opiate abuse at all. This was about something much more addictive.

Triple H must've grabbed Randy because there was a loud THUD from the hallway, followed by Hunter stating darkly, " _The Kid_ has a girlfriend! He's planning to marry her! He doesn't want you! He will never want you! Go find yourself a good girl, marry her and forget him!"

"But I love him-" Randy mumbled.

"You forget him! You forget him and you move on!" Triple H yelled.

Randy was quiet. A loud crashing sound came from the hallway. John didn't dare open the door. He listened to Triple H telling Randy more firmly, "He's your opponent; not your lover. You take those feelings and you bury them. You make a persona out of them. You use that pain to rise up the ranks and be the champ. That's how you'll succeed in this business. Deprive yourself of what you really want and you'll always have a reason to stay hungry."

John was completely frozen in place. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. All these years between them, and not once had Randy revealed his true feelings. Their matches were intense, yes. The fans liked to gossip about potential sexual tension, but John had always believed that it was he and Randy's opposite nature that made them attract so well.

There were footfalls headed away from the hallway. John listened a while until he was sure both men were gone. He slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

John peeked out into the hallway. He didn't see anyone. He stepped out and closed the door. John started back the way he came, thinking to himself that he should go to the locker room. There was a high probability that Randy was also headed there.

John looked up and stopped short.

Randy was standing in the hallway, looking right at him.


	4. Chapter 4

4:

Both men stared at each other. For John, it felt like too long. He considered that this Randy would be thinking of the John he knew in _this_ space of time. That was probably why Randy looked tense and was trying his best to control his expression. Younger Randy had not yet learned the ways of his later counterpart, _The Viper_ , who could bounce between stoicism and apathy to keep the other party continually guessing.

John also considered how his younger self would respond. The John from his past was arrogant. He didn't know that he would become the face of the company. He was still devoting himself to rising up the ranks, doing whatever it took. If younger John had heard this revelation, he would've been insulted. Younger John didn't have a problem with gay people so much as he had a problem with being labeled and potentially laid off from the company. He was dating Elizabeth, and he would've reminded Randy of that. He would've treated the situation as a game, teasing Randy relentlessly.

Younger John was all about the thrill of the hunt, especially when that meant finding a weakness to take down those who could easily rise above him. At that time, Randy was getting a push from Triple H, Ric Flair and Vince. Younger John didn't think Randy deserved that push because Randy was constantly self-destructing.

But this wasn't younger John. This was older, wiser, and very tired John. He knew what he would become. His future was secured.

"You heard him?" Randy broke the silence with a question he already knew the answer to.

John nodded. There was another long silence while John searched for the right response. He wasn't planning on making a joke of it, but he also wanted to tread lightly in case Randy took a kinder response to mean that John was pitying him. If Randy attacked John the first time, he could easily attack him, again.

The right words just weren't there, so John chose honesty.

"I didn't know you felt that way about me."

The words fell out of his mouth and entered the silence like a thickness that would not leave. John swallowed hard immediately afterwards. He hadn't encountered younger Randy for many years. John no longer had the instincts to anticipate him.

"Yeah?" Randy said, his tone silently fuming.

John could see it in his eyes. Younger Randy was waiting for John to start teasing him or say something upsetting. That was how his younger self would most likely respond. John was beginning to notice that younger Randy was far more perceptive than he ever gave him credit for.

"I didn't...I didn't know," John shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

Randy stood up straighter, jutting out his chin. This was the usual stance he took when he wanted to appear more arrogant. Randy stated in his lowest and most venomous tone, "If you tell anyone, I'll kill you."

"I know you would," John looked away for the first time since they locked eyes.

He could see Randy relaxing out of the corners of his eyes. Younger Randy was not sure how to take this response. John was listening to him, which was very unlike the Cena he knew.

Randy turned on his heel to leave, perhaps to escape the confusion. John called to him just before he left and blurted, "I'd like to see you, tonight."

Orton stopped but didn't turn back to face John. Knowing that this was a stance Randy took when he was very uneasy, John stayed where he was, not approaching the other man, and added more calmly, "I want to talk about it."

There was no response from Randy, a sign that he may not show up at all. John let out a long sigh and told him, "I'll be at the hotel on 5th, same as you. Room 214."

John remembered the room number because he had written it down in the past. He had come back to his room with a concussion then, so he was having trouble remembering things. He kept the notepad with the room number in his bag for a while after the incident, more because he kept forgetting to throw it away than to remind him of what happened.

Randy stayed there a few more seconds, then he left without telling John whether he would decide to show up or not.

:-:

John went to the locker room and found his bag. It took a little searching, since he could not remember exactly which locker had his stuff. He found the keys to his rental car in the side pocket where he used to keep them. Finding the car took a few minutes because he couldn't remember the exact spot where he parked, but he finally found it.

The hotel was not far from the arena. In the past, John used to call and pay for his room ahead of time. It gave him some assurance that at least he had a bed to crash in after all was said and done.

He ordered room service. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he had gone through eight meals. John was surprised by how cheap room service was, then he reminded himself that he was in the past. He also noticed that the TV in his room was one of the old tubes with the large back. He turned it on and found MTV. He chuckled to himself when he saw music videos.

John switched to sports and waited anxiously for Randy. It was already late. After a couple of hours, John decided that Randy was not coming. He got up and went to his gym bag. He pulled out a change of clothes and put them on the bed. John went to the bathroom and took a shower.

When John stepped out, he wrapped a towel around his middle and checked himself in the mirror. It was strange, seeing his younger self staring back at him. His hair was thicker and his dimples were more pronounced. His teeth looked in better shape. He didn't have the scars and the injuries that would plague his body almost 20 years, later.

His eyes looked the same, though. _Sad and lost._

John was reminded of Nikki, again. He impulsively felt the need to contact her. He had to remind himself that cell phones weren't so advanced and long distance calls were costly. Even if he did manage to find her number, what would he say? She wouldn't understand his story about meeting up in the future.

Besides, he was with _Elizabeth_.

John swallowed hard. The emotion within him was dark and melancholy. She had left a void somewhere deep inside, one that not even Nikki could fill. John had never admitted to anyone how messed up he was after Elizabeth. Their relationship was crumbling years before it ended. They were fighting all the time. The older wrestlers like Undertaker were trying to give John advice and help him through it. The younger ones were spreading rumors that John was verbally and sometimes physically abusive to Liz backstage and that he desperately wanted out of the relationship. It reached a few magazines and he was confronted by a few fans who claimed it as truth. John Cena's near perfect image was forever tarnished. This strained his relationship with Vince, who no longer trusted John with creative control of his storylines.

John was a private man. His relationship with Elizabeth put him in a spotlight so public that it nearly blinded him. It left him broken, inside. He did everything he could to protect himself, building a thicker skin and choosing every single word he spoke with the utmost care. He had decided to remain a bachelor. Love was no longer a part of John Cena's life.

Nikki changed that. She broke through the walls that John had built up so carefully. He had even convinced himself that it could not be done. To love her; only to lose her.

He was going through the same turmoil over, again. This time, he was already planning to build even stronger walls around him. He knew that was probably why he wanted Nikki back so badly. He thought she could somehow stop him from staying so far within. It was a lot to put on the shoulders of another human being. John knew that, but he was desperate not to have his heart crushed once more.

John stepped out of the bathroom with the towel still around his middle. He was surprised to see a familiar figure sitting at the edge of his bed.

"I didn't think you were coming," John said, his voice emotional.

"You said something that I don't get. I want you to explain it to me," Randy replied.

The man he would later call friend looked boyish as he fidgeted on the bed and picked at his nails. Randy looked eager to leave as soon as the conversation was over. John went to a chair that was nearby and sat down in it. Randy glanced at him, and John could see the arousal in Orton's eyes as he recognized that the object of his desire was only concealed by a piece of cloth.

Randy quickly looked away, glancing at the door like he planned to leave. John asked him softly, "What is it you wanted to know?"

Shifting uncomfortably, Randy answered, "You said you didn't know how I felt. What's that supposed to mean?"

Randy hunched his shoulders and became more defensive, as if he fully expected John to berate him for not understanding. When John thought of how dismissive Triple H was of the situation, he assumed that Randy had no confidence in being supported.

"I meant that I didn't know. I truly didn't know," John replied.

Randy glared at him. John could see from his eyes that Orton believed the kinder attitude to be some sort of a ruse meant to make him feel worse when the onslaught finally came.

John quickly added, "You haven't come to me about this. We don't spend much time, together. No one else has told me anything."

Randy scoffed like that was hard to believe. John became confused, so Randy countered, "You're telling me that you've never given it any thought? Not a rumor around the locker room or a joke made at my expense?"

John shook his head, which seemed to make Randy more angry. Orton stood up from the bed and yelled, "Don't play around with me, Cena! I'm tired of your fucking two-faced shit!"

The conversation was headed for disaster. John stood up from the chair and put his hands up in defeat. He opened his mouth to counter but Randy lunged for him. Forgetting he was younger and more agile, John tensed up, believing he would be more easily injured. Randy grabbed him by his hips and shoved John onto the bed, ripping the towel away in the process.

John sat up on his elbows. Randy was on top of him and shoving him back down before John had much time to process things. Randy gripped John's cock in his hand to hold him still. John felt a twinge of pain from the amount of pressure Randy was using.

Randy's face was red and his eyes were wide as he spat, "You don't know what you're missing!"

John could feel the sensation of Randy massaging his shaft. He was trying to build up a rhythm while doing his best to withhold his rage. Randy was never very good at keeping his temper in check.

The massage was unexpected. John was conflicted about if he truly wanted it to continue or not. He tried to reach his arm up to cross Randy's chest and push him off, but Randy was holding fast and his grip instinctively tightened when he thought he might be rejected.

John made a pained expression and asked through gritted teeth, "Randy...it...hurts..."

Once John put his arms back and stopped fighting it, Randy was able to think more clearly. He eased up on John, but didn't let go. Randy kept his eyes locked with John as he waited for the other man to show him some kind of a sign that he _wanted_ this. John could feel himself getting hard, but he thought it was because of the stimulation itself and not a reciprocation.

Randy leaned in and mashed his lips against John's. The kiss was rushed and messy, but John was surprised to find that his body was physiologically responding to it. A sense of arousal was building, though John was still struggling with it because he didn't like that Randy seemed to have all the control.

When Randy broke away from the kiss, he let go of John, but only long enough to turn Cena over. Randy started unzipping his jeans and said in a rushed tone, "I'll show you! I'll show you what you're missing!"

John was not prepared for this. He quickly got up and crawled away from Orton, telling him, "Don't, Randy! Don't!"

John rolled over to face him from the other side of the bed. Randy had his jeans open and his eyes were still wild as he tried to process John's words.

"I'm sorry," Randy whispered.

His expression turned to one of shame as Randy zipped up his jeans and repeated, "I'm sorry."

Randy went for the door and called back over his shoulder before he left the room, "Shit! I'm sorry, John."

John stayed where he was, listening to Randy cry out with frustration from the hallway before leaving for good.

If John hadn't known Randy so well, he would've thought the other man had lost his mind. It was clear to older and wiser John that Randy did not intend to hurt or scare him. John believed that the actions Randy took were with the intention of trying to _impress_ him. Randy was well known for choosing awkward and sometimes bizarre ways to express his emotions. Randy was rather terrible at using his words, so he would often show instead of tell, which caused more confusion and division between himself and his peers.

John laid back and closed his eyes, hoping to fall asleep and wake up in the present so he could try to put this whole episode behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

5:

John spent the night in a restless sleep.

He dreamed of a more current time, where Nikki was doing interviews and telling anyone who would listen, "I still love John, but I need to take a step back."

The listeners would "ohhhh" and "awwww" with sympathy and understanding. Nikki had convinced everyone, including herself, that she just needed some time to sort it all out in her head. Her eyes said that she still longed for John. Her body language told a different story.

She was distancing herself from him. He could feel it in the days before she told him she wanted some time, apart. He had proposed to her at WrestleMania, fulfilling a fantasy that she had revealed to him after a late night of drinking wine and taking a walk by the beach. Some of Nikki's female wrestling friends expressed jealousy that she was lucky enough to get betrothed on the greatest stage of them all.

Dolph Ziggler teased John for weeks afterwards, saying that John was lucky Kane didn't bust out from under the ring, a callback to the absurdly staged RAW wedding of Edge and Lita which Kane so creepily interrupted. Only the roster members knew that Glenn "Kane" Jacobs nearly didn't make his entrance when the section of the ring mat wouldn't give way like it was supposed to as he tore at it. The result was Kane looking more like a bald baby fighting its way out of a strange birth canal. The incident was used in many inside jokes; a proverbial, "That's what she said," of WWE.

John remembered mostly positive reactions to the union. In hindsight, Randy did become more distant, but John believed it to be due to Randy's focus on his own growing family with his second wife, Kimberly Kessler. The confusion between the Randy he currently knew and the Randy from his past seeped into John's dreams, making him relive recent memories with Randy from a different perspective.

These memories filled John with doubt. He considered Randy to be his oldest and closest friend, as well as a business partner he got along with best, yet he was completely unaware of Orton's most prominent secret. Both men had pursued women and married them. Randy was gifted with a daughter, as well as step-children from Kimberly. Randy had built a life independently from John, going so far as to add the one thing that John could never have: Children.

John wasn't impotent. He didn't have a problem with children. It was the opposite, really. His family had a long line of fertility. John's career was almost completely catered to child audiences. The children of fellow roster members tended to gravitate towards John backstage. Sheamus was the only equal when it came to likability with children. Even Randy's own daughter carried Sheamus and John's action figures around and rushed up to John for a hug whenever he stopped by.

Randy was a good father, despite the darkness that he held within. John believed that he would also be a good father, but he never found the desire like so many others to produce offspring of his own. Some of this was due to Elizabeth's insecurities. They fought many times about having children. John believed that Elizabeth mainly wanted a child to keep him from leaving her. She believed that John didn't want to have children just to spite her. After John met Nikki, he found himself going through similar motions. Nikki wanted children because she had the desire to reproduce. She began to believe that John didn't want to have children with her because she wasn't enough for him.

He couldn't convince her otherwise.

John replayed the expression Nikki gave him after she asked for time apart. Her breasts rose and fell with controlled breathing. Her eyes darted away from his. She pouted her lips, a sign she unconsciously and frequently made when she was unsure of something. She was waiting for John to argue with her, to tell her that she was being ridiculous, to fight for her and reconsider his hard stance about having children.

He wanted to keep her. He wanted to say something smart and well planned like he normally did, but he couldn't come up with the words this time. Her eyes found their way back to his, but they narrowed sharply. Her left hand reached up to her hip and held it. She was angry that he was not so quick to concede.

John couldn't remember exactly what Nikki had said to him. He didn't mean to tune her out. He was just caught off-guard by her request to take time apart. They had done this, before. He struggled to be without her, and it was like a breath of fresh air when she found her way back to him.

Not this time. He could feel it in his bones.

If he was truly honest with himself, John understood that he was _already long gone_.

John opened his eyes to the morning light shining through the window of his hotel room. The air was quiet and somewhat stagnant. He laid there for a while, expecting the usual aches and pains from past injuries to make themselves known.

But he didn't feel them.

He blinked a few times. He had convinced himself that the events of the night before were all side effects of his inability to hold his liquor like he used to. He didn't believe that a simple man like himself could possibly have been chosen by the managers of time travel to go back and relive his past. There were plenty of other people who had much more pressing matters that needed such a gift.

Yet, when John sat up to observe his surroundings, he found the room to be made up of the past. The tube television set, the brown curtains and the ancient air conditioning unit were a dead giveaway. In his current financial state, he would've paid for a much better hotel room.

John reached for his cell phone instinctively, then realized it wasn't there. This truly was the past.

He stood up and went to the bathroom. He knew he would see his younger self staring back at him, but he chose to check, anyway. Once again, John found himself looking through eyes that were identical to his own, but much more youthful.

John was reminded of his last moments with Randy the night, before. It was a mess of a thing, and it would have to be continued.

:-:

After a long shower, John packed his bag and headed out. He had an idea about where the roster was headed, but he decided to follow the tour bus just in case. John was aware when he walked out that the bus was full of members. It meant that one or two people would be asking for a ride. He considered driving off and taking his chances, but if he was reminded that he didn't have his cell phone in this era of time, which meant that he couldn't text anyone for details. If he made a mistake and chose the wrong arena, the time it would take to correct it meant he could be late, which would cost him points with upper management.

It was an odd feeling to be back at the bottom.

John waited in the parking lot while other wrestlers slowly came out of the hotel. They were all faces he knew, but he had never realized how much they changed over the years. John could see Edge and Christian on the bus. Christian was bouncing around energetically. John thought of the current Christian he knew, and how careful he was with each step after one too many back injuries. Edge was also bobbing his head around, something that he couldn't do as safely after his career ending neck injury.

Eddie Guerrero left the hotel room to find his own car in the parking lot. John couldn't help watching Eddie with a deep sense of curiosity. His mind was telling him Eddie no longer existed, but there he was, tossing his bag into the trunk of his car, snorting the morning air and rubbing his eyes as any man unaware of his own mortality would do.

John was still staring at Eddie when he heard a soft knock on the passenger side window. He turned to face the sound and saw Randy staring back at him.

He motioned for Randy to open the door, but Randy shook his head and turned to walk away. John stepped out of his car and called for Randy, "You need a ride?"

Eddie stopped and watched the two men as Randy turned to face John and replied, "I'll take the bus."

"It's full," John mentioned.

"I'll kick someone out of their seat," Randy said gruffly.

John let out a long sigh. Randy stood there with his gym bag over his shoulder. Eddie nodded his chin at Randy and asked, "You wanna ride with me, _pendejo_?"

John had forgotten how Eddie used to tease Randy by calling him _pendejo_ , which Randy mistakenly believed was the Spanish term for _dude_. Although Randy could speak Spanish, he was not as well versed as he would be later in life, when he started spending more time with Rey Mysterio.

Randy started for Eddie's car. John was becoming agitated as he argued, "Why the hell did you come to me if you didn't want a ride?"

"Fuck, John! Why you gotta stir shit up!" Randy barked at him.

Randy stood between John's car and Eddie's car. John knew that Eddie was not the kind of man to diffuse a fight or walk away. He was going to egg them on and laugh when they came to blows.

"What's goin' on, _Cenorita_?" Eddie grinned at John.

John glanced at the bus full of wrestlers. A few members were watching them, probably alerted by Randy's cursing. If John chose to pursue this with witnesses, he could easily be penalized by management. Personal drama made for great gossip and relentless teasing, but it could also be used as an excuse to fire wrestlers on the grounds of being unprofessional.

"I'll see you, later," John waved at Randy and got back in his car.

It was the best decision he could make at the time. John closed the door and waited. Randy stared at him for a while with an angry expression. John's refusal to take the proverbial bait had left Randy looking foolish.

Eddie shouted something at Randy. John watched as Orton refused to answer him. It was not the best of ideas, given that Eddie had been on the roster longer and Randy should be treating him with more respect for bothering to offer him a ride. Eddie called to him once more, but Randy ignored him, so Eddie got into his car and drove off.

The bus was also pulling out of the parking lot. If John waited much longer, he would lose them. He looked at Randy for answers. It seemed that Randy could not care less whether they got to the next arena on time.

John opened his door and stepped out, again. He asked Randy more seriously, "Do you want a ride or not?"

"Fuck you, Cena!" Randy spat.

John sighed and got back into his car. He turned the engine on and geared up to leave. He considered running Randy's stubborn ass over.

Randy suddenly stormed over to the passenger side. He opened the door so roughly that the car bounced from side-to-side. Randy tossed his bag in the backseat and sat down with a huff, concluding his tantrum by slamming the door so hard that the side mirror tilted sideways.

There was a long silence between the two men. John finally pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, where the awkwardness continued.

"What crawled up your ass?" John finally broke the silence.

"You," Randy stated darkly.


	6. Chapter 6

6:

"Are you going to speak at any point in time?" John asked Randy after nearly an hour of silence.

Randy gave him a sideways glance and frowned. He seemed to be so lost in thought that he had forgotten John was even there. Randy huffed through his nose a few times, reminding John of the sound a bull makes when it is about to charge.

"You didn't let me finish," Randy stated in an accusatory fashion.

John felt the need to become defensive, but thought the better of it. He was well versed in Randy's tendency to block out people who were verbally attacking him, even if it was Randy himself who started the attack. John decided to use a more logical approach by asking, "You're saying I didn't let you finish something. What was it?"

Randy chuckled and his eyes darted around like he was trying to find something else to focus on. He was obviously flustered, if not embarrassed, by John's question.

"Don't make me say it out loud," Randy replied after a while of huffing and looking elsewhere.

Randy was uncomfortable. John could easily read that. What John didn't understand was why. Their last time together didn't exactly end well, but John expected Randy to be acting angry and arrogant per usual. Instead, Randy was showing signs of embarrassment and even fear. These were rare coming from _The Viper_.

"What are you thinking, right now?" John asked Randy softly.

Randy shook his head and replied, "You're just gonna tell everybody."

"What?" John was surprised.

"Why wouldn't you?! I kissed you! I played with your cock! I tried to have sex with you! That's more than enough for Vince to have me fired for harassment!"

John turned to look at Randy. It was clearly written on Orton's face that he truly believed his time with the company was done. His career hadn't even started, yet. It struck John as odd to picture the company he knew without Randal Keith Orton as a primary member. If he were taken out this early, he would quickly be forgotten. All of Randy's achievements would never happen. Randy and John would never have the historical matches that defined them as legitimate players of the game.

"You think I would do that to you?" John asked.

Randy was quiet, so John added, "I might be a dick, sometimes, but I'm not a rat."

This seemed to infuriate Orton instead of easing his emotions. He turned to John and yelled, "Why wouldn't you when you could be on top! I'd be out of the way!"

"I'm not going to send you out the door!" John argued back.

He glanced at Randy. There were many mixed emotions on his face, but one stood out the most: _Confusion_.

"Why the hell would you want me to stay?" Randy asked, his tone more somber.

John felt the need to tell Randy how truly valuable he was. Orton appeared to have no idea that he was headed for great things, nor did he seem to believe that he deserved these things.

If only Randy could see himself the way that John did.

"You've got real talent. Like, the kind that most guys in the business can only dream of. You're a natural wrestler, Randy. That's rare. I can only think of two other guys off the top of my head that have that kind of level. You were made to be a wrestler. This is your destiny. I could never forgive myself if I tried to take that away."

Randy was quiet again for a long while, then he said, "You still didn't let me finish."

John was honest as he replied, "I know you want to fuck me, but I'm not ready for that. I'm not even sure I understand how I feel about kissing you."

Randy looked away, so John added, "I'm not saying it's off the table. I just need more time."

"Because of your bitch?" Randy said it darkly.

John was confused at first. He often drifted to the present time, where he had broken up with Nikki. It took him several long seconds before he understood that Randy was referring to John's past girlfriend, Liz.

Randy seemed to notice the lack of an immediate response from John. Randy said more to himself, "It's like you're an alien who took over Cena's body. I don't recognize you, anymore."

"Liz is not a bitch, alright?" John tried to stay on track, though he struggled because his bitter divorce from Liz still stung his insides.

"I don't even know why you're still with her!" Randy sounded jealous.

Randy wasn't wrong. John from the past had no idea how devastating his relationship with Elizabeth would become. Past John also wouldn't have cared what other people thought, so he would've completely missed what current John could hear from Randy's words.

Randy was aware that Liz and John weren't meant to be.

:-:

As the day wore on, John had to consistently remind himself about minor things. For instance, he was so used to having his cell phone in his pocket that more than once, he tried to reach for it. He knew he would have to contact Liz at some point, which he believed he could also do by cell phone, only to recognize that he usually called her from his hotel room at this point in time.

John also had to remind himself that there was no Facebook, Twitter or social media in this current world. He would think to update his status from time to time, then remind himself that it was no longer needed. He hadn't fully realized how attached to technology he currently was until it was removed from his reach.

It wasn't just a lack of cell phones that John was troubled by. Technology had also advanced in sports. In his current time, John had a regiment of massage, a completely planned out diet, a workout routine customized to his body, and dozens of additional tools he used on a daily basis that were more easily accessible due to a rise in popularity. John had spent years tweaking his routine until it was a perfect combination. His mind registered exact moments of meal times, workouts, and other applications as if his internal time clock was still in the present.

John was conflicted about how to deal with this issue. His mind would eventually go out of sync, but it was something he didn't want to happen. He believed his routine to be perfect for his personal needs, but many of the tools he used were not invented, yet. The internet was not as efficient as it would later be. He could not order items online that were available with as much ease as he did in current times. Another issue would be the obviousness of trying to adapt some of his current schedule. It would be noticed by the other wrestlers because current routines would be considered excessive compared to past routines.

Another conflict John was presented with were injuries. The wrestling industry had come a long way with treatment. There were types of infections that could kill a man in the past, but were considered easily treatable in the present. John wanted to believe that, because he was sent here from the present and remembered his life, he would be safe from potential harm. Still, he was effectively altering the past just by being around Randy and avoiding the head injury that Randy once caused. It was only logical to conclude that John could not only be hurt in a way he wasn't before, but he wondered what would happen to him if he died in the past.

"Johnny!" Edge snapped his fingers to get attention.

Cena rose out of his deep thoughts. He was sitting in the locker room of the next arena, still holding his gym bag and thinking about his own mortality while he sat on a bench between lockers. Christian said from behind him, "You seem lost."

John craned his neck to see Christian and answered, "I'm good."

"Yeah?" Edge said from ahead of him.

John turned to Edge and replied, "Yeah."

Edge turned his head to one-side. It gave John flashbacks of their matches, together. He felt the need to warn Edge slash Adam Copeland that a neck injury was going to end his career while it was still at a high point. That would also mean warning Christian that he would achieve his lifelong dream of winning the World Championship, only to lose it swiftly because upper management didn't believe Christian was the same caliber as his tag-team partner.

The pain of future events left knots in John's stomach. He felt sick knowing all he knew and recognizing that no one else did. Many of the faces he saw in the locker room were of men who had since passed away or retired with brutal injuries. John was a firm believer in the idea that people passed when they were meant to pass, and there were no coincidences. He wondered if telling any of them about their futures would prevent it at all, or send them on a path to an alternate but equally timed fate.

John tried to bury his emotions and get to work. He needed to look as normal as possible. He was still considered, "Fresh fish," as Christian liked to put it, and he would be gutted if the other guys caught on to his odd behavior.

He was still gathering his things when John looked up and saw Chris Benoit from across the room.

John had to shut his eyes and tell himself to calm down.

Benoit's fate was the worst John had ever known. He was not a close friend of the family, but he once thought of Benoit as a legend in the industry. His fate would ultimately change the way that the company handled injuries. It would also erase all of his achievements from the company to avoid conflict, including the World Championship match between Benoit and Orton where Randy would become the youngest to win the coveted title. Despite the horrific nature of Benoit's death, he would be the one to change the industry's wellness policies for the better, causing a butterfly effect that also brought change to the understanding of brain injuries and served as a warning of the devastating effects of testosterone overuse.

John told himself that he could not save Chris Benoit. He could not save Edge from breaking his neck. He could not save Eddie from heart failure. He was barely hanging on just trying to save himself.

He had to draw a limit. John could easily make himself a target if he revealed what he knew, even accidentally. He had to be constantly vigilant about remembering his past. It was the only way he would survive.

John picked up his bag and started to leave. He stopped short when he passed the back of a familiar head.

The Rock. Also known as Dwayne Johnson.

John was reminded of yet another conflict in his past.

He and Dwayne had a long history of hating each other. It made all of their matches more believable, since they simply channeled how they really felt instead of relying on acting to get their messages across. John had struck up a close friendship with Vince early on, something that Dwayne found irksome. Young John was also an arrogant prick, which did not sit well with the older legend. Things would eventually come to a head when Dwayne went to Vince to personally ask for Cena's removal from the roster.

Dwayne would ultimately lose that battle, but the effects would influence John's credibility for years to come. John would always find himself in second place when The Rock was in town, no matter how much he proved himself worthy of being an equal. John once dreamed that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, only to have Dwayne stand up to protest the achievement. If there were ever a man John clashed with more than Randy, it was Dwayne.

"What're you lookin' at, _Beaver_?!"

John realized he had been staring at The Rock while he pondered the past. Dwayne must've felt someone watching him and turned to face the culprit. John was also reminded of Dwayne's nickname for him, a reference to Beaver Cleaver of the Leave it to Beaver series. Dwayne once spread a rumor that John was related to the actor who played Beaver, which took John months to debunk. The rumor also made John's white rapper persona look childish to his fellow roster members when his fake relation was supposed to be the epitome of innocence.

Young John would've started a fight with The Rock using a clever counter-attack and an equally stupid nickname. The Rock, being one who matched John at the level of quick thinking, would almost immediately come up with a counter-attack of his own, which would devolve into a shouting match and punches being thrown, which the other roster members would have to break up.

The current John understood why The Rock was so hard on him. Dwayne demanded a level of respect that Young John did not give. Either John could put on the face of his younger self and do what was expected of him, or he could try another tactic with the idea of altering this lifelong rivalry.

"I was looking at you, _Blockhead_ ," John could not help himself.

The Rock's eyes opened wide and he started for John. A fight broke out. Several roster members joined in while others tried to break it up. When the dust cleared, John had a split lip and Dwayne was giving him a wide-eyed death stare.

:-:

"Why did you do that?" Randy called out to John in the parking lot.

John turned around to face Orton. They were two of the last to leave. John had already been disciplined for antagonizing a top-card player. He would have to sit out for two weeks. No matches at all. It was a hard sentence for a fresh face who was trying to break his way through, but John accepted the consequences. He may be more seasoned this time around, but he wasn't immune from making mistakes.

He replied when Randy was closer, "I couldn't back down."

Randy nodded that he understood. His eyes said he would've done the same thing. Young Orton was frequently reported for not being respectful to the legends. His attitude was what inspired the moniker _Legend Killer_ , and his eventual rise to fame as an independent party after Evolution ended. It was perhaps a perfect trajectory in the history of wrestling careers. Randy was the only man John knew of who had a history of reckless behavior that generally turned out well due to what could only be described as pure luck. Upon reflection, it really did seem like Randy was destined to be a wrestler.

"You should've called him something other than blockhead," Randy said.

"What? Like dumbass?" John replied with a chuckle.

Randy shook his head and told John, "He hates being called _Rockstar_. Paul started calling him that."

"That doesn't sound so bad," John mentioned.

"Yeah, but Dwayne really hates it. His face gets so red when Paul says it. I have no idea why," Randy replied.

"I'll keep that in mind," John said, then added, "You riding with me?"

"Actually, I'm going clubbing with the guys," Randy told him.

Orton was referring to his Evolution members: Ric Flair, Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Dave Batista. John nodded to him and said, "Have a good time."

"You're not going out?" Randy seemed surprised by this.

John was reminded that his younger self could easily drink others under the table. He was once again faced with a decision to act like he would've before, or take advantage of his maturity.

"Yeah, I'm heading out," John told him.

Randy replied with a wry grin, "You want to go out with me and the guys?"

"I don't think Paul would like that very much," John shook his head.

"Why not?" Randy looked confused.

Orton obviously hadn't considered that the tongue lashing he received from Triple H the day before was also a warning to stay away from John on a personal level. John replied with a sigh, "You've been told not to be around me."

"Is that what you want?" Randy asked.

John thought he knew the answer to this question, but he struggled to get the words out. It wasn't because he wanted to say yes, but because he understood the consequences of saying no. If he chose to continue spending time with Randy, it would leave them both more exposed and potentially set up The Viper for heartbreak.

"There's no way we'll be accepted," John pointed out.

"I'm not looking at anyone else. I'm only looking at you," Randy told him.

John looked away. Randy's penetrating stare felt too strong at this moment. Randy pressed his forehead to John's so he could reach his eyes once more. When John looked up at him, Randy said, "I want to be around you, even if you don't want me like that. I'll...I'll follow you, no matter what."

It was a tender thing for Young Randy to say, and it overwhelmed John with emotion. He thought he was helping Randy by acknowledging what he felt, but John had not anticipated how such a move could ruin Randy if it were never reciprocated.

Randy had ruined his life once because he was trying so hard to bury his love for John. How would his life be any different if he allowed those feelings to surface, only to be left unfulfilled by them?

"I don't wanna hurt you..." John felt tears in his eyes.

"Then don't," Randy replied, adding quietly, "Let me follow you."


	7. Chapter 7

6:

John immediately regretted his decision to go out drinking with Orton and the Evolution gang.

Orton drove them to a high-end club deep in downtown. It was the type of club with private seating in the back. John was aware that Paul had probably picked the place, given his traditional arrogant nature and his desire to be the star of every attraction. Most people were probably there to catch a glimpse of an actor or a singer, but Paul would make it seem like they all came for him.

They were greeted by security as soon as they got out. Wreslters had a long history of issues with security, mostly because the wrestlers were taller and had more bulk. The strong, bald man who approached them nodded to the door and said in a deep voice, "Follow me."

John wasn't used to being treated so cordially when he had arrived unannounced. Orton glanced over his shoulder and mumbled to John, "Ric told him we were coming."

If there was anyone who could trump Paul in the game of most charming, it would be Ric Flair. He was sometimes referred to as _Mr. Charisma_. Although Ric was past his prime, his charm worked like a superpower, keeping him in the game and in the know about everyone and everything as if he hadn't aged past twenty-five. It was easy to guess that some of Ric's best plays were being picked up by Paul. John never though of Paul as particularly charming, but he was clever enough to position himself next to the right people and absorb all they had to offer.

John and Randy followed the security guard through the front doors and past dozens of people. The music was booming and the dance floor was packed with bodies. There were green and blue laser lights filtering the walls and the dance floor was lit up a bright white. John had forgotten about the cheesy Sci-Fi effects of clubs in the early 2000's. It was not necessarily a time of great trends.

"Here," the security guard nodded his head and pulled a black curtain back.

The private seating area was very dark, save for tea lights in glass containers at the center of each both. John and randy walked past the security guard and John strained his eyes to find a familiar face. The booths had black curtains surrounding them that could be drawn for privacy, but most of them were open. Randy started for a specific booth and John followed him. They made it to a booth at the center of the back of the room. The position was perfect for watching all the other booths surrounding them as well as the way in without blowing your own cover.

"What's he doing here?" Batista growled from behind the black curtain.

John could barely make out Paul, Ric and Batista from the tea lights on the table. Batista was to his right while Paul and Ric were to his left. There wasn't much room for one more person, let alone two. Paul sat back and said cooly, "Johnny's here!"

Paul was trying to make it sound like he was happy to see Cena, but a quick look at Orton proved otherwise. Ric waved John over and said, "Come and sit down!"

John looked to Batista, who had the only space next to him. Batista frowned and folded his arms. Randy stepped in front of John and told Batista, "Move your ass."

"Sass, boy. What have I said about it," Batista warned him.

There was an odd tone to Batista's voice. John couldn't tell if he was trying to convey a sense of the older brother scolding the younger one, or if there was something more to it that he didn't understand. Randy seemed to ignore the tone altogether and took his seat next to Batista. There was no room left for John, but Randy pointed at the corner of the room and said, "Pull up a chair."

John looked over to the corner but didn't see anything. He assumed Randy had been to the club before, since he seemed to know the general layout. John slowly walked over to the corner and nearly stubbed his toe on a stack of sturdy wooden chairs. He took one down and carted it back over to the table. He could just hear Batista whispering, "...shouldn't be here."

Cena acted like he heard nothing and he took a seat outside of the black curtains surrounding the table. He could see the others a lot better once he was down. John sported a grin as he asked, "So, what's for lunch?"

He was making a joking reference to the fact that wrestlers usually stopped to eat whenever they could and lunch could end up being a midnight snack. Ric laughed out loud, while Paul chuckled and Batista continued to frown. Randy had found a leather bound menu and he was searching the drink list. John scooted his way closer to Randy so he could see the menu. He leaned into Randy and asked, "What's the strongest thing they have?"

Paul loudly cleared his throat. John glanced back at him and caught Levesque staring at him. It seemed that Paul truly meant it when he said he didn't want the two men having any contact outside of the ring. Even platonic closeness was a concern to him. It was at that moment that John saw something in Paul's eyes he couldn't take back. John wasn't just a risk to Randy, but a risk to the rest of Evolution. The youngest player in their group was also the most popular, and he was carrying the reputation of Paul and Ric on his shoulders. Randy would also eventually be the push that Batista needed to get to the top when they feuded down the line. Paul was not only keenly aware of Randy's potential, but he was making it clear that John would not stand in the way of Paul's plans to use that potential to mold Randy into what he wanted him to be.

John had overstepped. He knew that, now. This was the past, where his reputation was still fresh and the legends still considered him an unsafe bet. John was still a nobody, which meant that he could be let go if Paul and Ric chose to get Vince involved. They had no idea what he would bring to the company, which is why they wouldn't think twice about sending him packing.

"Oh, shit. I forgot to call my girl," John pulled out the easiest excuse he could find.

The tension around the table lifted as the others acknowledged the exit strategy, but Randy looked at John with an expression of confusion.

"It's after midnight. You're going to wake her up?" Randy argued.

Once again, the tension rose up. John quickly countered, "She doesn't mind it."

Randy practically deflated. He tossed the menu on the table, almost knocking over the glass of tea candles in the process. Ric grabbed the glass and shouted, "Whoaaa! Almost burned the place down, Orton!"

Randy scoffed. Paul gave him a hard glare for his arrogance. Batista started to get up as he elbowed Orton and said, "I gotta take a piss."

Randy begrugingly stood up from his seat to let Batista pass. John watched Randy the whole time, but Orton wouldn't meet his gaze. John was about to stand up and take off with Batista, but the waitress came along and asked, "What can I get you all?"

Paul ordered some expensive drinks. Ric ordered scotch for himself and whisky for Batista. Randy ordered straight Vodka. John ordered tequila.

He decided that, if he was being forced to play nice, he would at least be drunk while doing it.

:-:

The drinks kept coming. The tension wore off and was replaced by bellowing laughter and shared stories about various sexual conquests and drunken acts of stupidity that ended in fights or property damage. John forgot most of what was said after a while. He downed many shots of tequila and followed it up with a long drink of Randy's Vodka. There were some shots taken and more drinks arrived. John was going through whatever was put in front of him, whether it tasted good or not.

At some point, the guys left their table and ventured out to play the field. John always found it easy to pick up a dancing partner. All he had to do was flash those dimples and the ladies practically fought over him. He danced with a brunette and two blondes. One blonde tried to kiss him but he acted like he didn't notice her and he took off to the bar for another shot.

Time slipped off until John didn't know how early or late it was. He could hold his liquor well and even after all the shots, he still wasn't shitfaced enough to forget the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was making a horrible mistake. He was playing a dangerous game with Randy. No one loves someone who isn't available and escapes it unscathed. John was well aware of the potential consequences he was creating by making each decision, but his faith that the future he remembered was real kept him from stepping back.

If John was going to change the future for the worse, why send him back in the first place?

John was putting down yet another shot when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to face Paul. John told him with a wry grin, "You shouldn't be here."

" _I_ shouldn't be here?" Paul seemed surprised.

"This is not the place for you. You don't dance," John told him.

John was referrencing a memory from his past, when Paul had told him he wasn't much of a dancer. It took John a few long seconds to realize that the memory from his past was one that would happen in this version of Paul's future, which meant the confusion coming from _this_ Paul was warranted.

"I mean, you don't look like much of a dancer," John tried to correct himself.

He made the effort to sound extra drunk so Paul would think nothing of it. The tactic worked and Paul moved on, saying, "Why don't you take a seat back at our table. We're heading out in a few minutes."

"Already? The night is young!" John yelled.

Paul took a big step back. John thought it was probably because his breath was atrocious after all the drinking he'd been doing. Paul motioned to the private seating area across the room and said in John's ear, "We'll come get you when it's time."

John nodded and Paul let him go. Slowly, Cena made his way around the dance floor, carefully avoiding some tables and a passed out woman on the floor in the process. It felt like an eternity before he was back behind the curtain.

He glanced at the other tables as he passed them. The famous faces that may have been there were long gone. John thought to check his cell phone for the time, but reminded himself yet again that he didn't have one. He sat down at the booth and John closed his eyes as he slumped over in the seat. He inhaled and exhaled a few times before he opened his eyes once more.

John saw a set of crossed legs across from him. The feet had expensive shoes and the crossed foot was moving up and down in a slightly irritated fashion. The tops of the legs were shrouded in a short black skirt. John recognized immediately who they belonged to.

"Nikki," he breathed as he sat up to look at her face.

"John!" he heard someone calling to him as they shook him awake.

John opened his eyes. He was still at the table in the back, but Nikki wasn't sitting across from him. John slowly sat up and looked to see who was calling to him. It was Randy, looking somewhat past the point of completely wasted.

"Paul said to come and get you," Randy told him.

"Yeah, I..." John forgot what he was going to say.

Randy sat down across from John, right where Nikki was in his dream. John swallowed hard and asked, "Do you believe in fate?"

Randy chuckled and sat back against the booth as he replied, "I don't wanna get into this right now."

John nodded and told himself to drop it, but he managed to say despite himself, "I'm from the future. My time isn't now."

Randy blinked a few times. John was sure that he would garner another chuckle, but Randy was straight faced as he replied, "What's wrong with now?"

"I told you, it's not my time," John answered.

"Then what time is it?" Randy inquired.

John couldn't tell if Randy were teasing him or not. Orton was not known for his ability to tease without being completely obvious. John breathed a long sigh and said, "It's two thousand and eighteen."

"Oh," Randy nodded and looked away.

John tried to straighten up a little. Orton seemed surprisingly calm about the revelation. Could Orton have been the one to bring him back through time? John doubted it. The man was an amazing wrestler and a very good father, but Randy was not savvy enough to rip a hole in the time space continuum just so he could get a second shot with man of his dreams.

"You don't believe me," John stated.

Randy's gaze drifted back up to Cena's. It was a long while before Randy replied, "You're different. That's for sure."

There was another long pause before Randy added quietly, "You haven't been John for a while. Not the John I know, anyway. You're...old."

"Old?!" John wasn't expecting that.

Randy replied with a chuckle, "More experienced. You say things like you're thinking about it. You move like you notice every hit you take. You look at Benoit and Edge and Guerrero like they're going to blow up right in front of you."

John looked away. He hadn't realized how observant Randy really was. There was another long silence before Randy mentioned, "You look sick when I mention Elizabeth. It's not on your face, but in your eyes. It's like you know how it's gonna end."

Tears formed in John's eyes. He suddenly felt vulnerable and exposed. He was a fraud posing as his younger self to re-write his own story, and for what? To send Randy down the same path of humiliation? To still marry Elizabeth and meet the same brutal end? It suddenly felt like a scheme designed only to make John think he was going to change the outcome, when in reality, he was just acting out the same scene from a slightly different angle.

"We don't end up together in your future, do we?" Randy asked.

John tried to speak, but he could't clear his throat. John looked up and saw Paul coming through the curtains with Batista. It was horrible timing, but the conversation would have to be put on hold.

"We'll talk about this, later," John told Randy.

It was obvious that John's reluctance to speak had already confirmed the outcome for Randy. His expression went dark, like all phases of Randy did when he was shutting off his emotions.

"Don't," John started, but it was too late.

Randy no longer believed he had a shot. He was reverting back to his former ways. If John didn't do something immediately, he risked losing _The Viper_ completely.

John stood up and kicked the table over. Paul and Batista stepped aside to get out of the way. John grabbed Randy's head in his hands and mashed their lips together.


	8. Chapter 8

8:

"You really fucked up. You fucked up big time, Cena."

Paul, Ric, Randy and Batista were seated in a limousine. John was seated across from them. The limo was taking them back to their hotel and the driver had the window up so he couldn't overhear the conversation. Paul made plans for their cars to be picked up from the club so they could leave the hotel in the morning and head for their next venue. John's ride was already at the hotel since Randy had taken him to the club.

Batista and Paul had seen the kiss. Randy was still in shock and keeping his head down. Batista had his arms folded and his lips set in a deep frown. Ric seemed incredulous about the event since he didn't witness it for himself. Paul was so furious that John believed his career was essentially over.

"I would take this to Vince and have you fired on the spot if I could keep Orton out of it," Paul seemed to be mulling over his choices and their potential consequences out loud.

Ric blinked with surprise. He argued with Paul, "Do you want to waste The Kid's whole career?"

Paul turned to Ric and replied, "You don't understand, Flair."

"I do understand! I understand that you said the boys kissed and I don't think it happened. If it did, it was a couple of drunk guys being dumb shits! What else is new!"

Ric waved his hands as if to push the subject away. Batista cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Randy kept his eyes on the floor and refused to react. Orton was trying this best to sink inside of himself and bury all of his emotions deep down. He didn't want his friends and fellow co-workers seeing how he truly felt about the kiss.

Paul pointed at John and shouted, "The Kid stirs up shit! Randy's already on probation! You think he needs rumors taking him down?!"

It was John's turn to be surprised. He knew that Randy's early years were fraught with reckless behavior and constant trouble making, but John wasn't aware that Randy had put himself in the line of fire so soon after his debut.

"Boys will be boys...or fags," Ric waved the subject away once more.

"Why aren't you taking this more seriously?" Paul was confused by Ric's passive reaction.

Ric replied with a shrug, "This is our company. It's a soap opera with a wrestling ring. Everybody's got an opinion, and everybody's a comedian."

Paul sat back and took a breath. He furrowed his brow and said nothing more. John was also taken aback. He expected an old school veteran of the company like Ric Flair to be more judgmental when it came to subjects like homosexuality.

Ric mentioned off-handedly, "Batista's been out experimenting and I don't see you calling him out."

"What?!" Paul glared at Batista.

"You're a damn liar, old man!" Batista shot back at Ric.

The limo pulled into the parking lot and the argument was cut short. Batista stormed out, first. He took off before Paul and Ric could catch up to him. John waited for Randy to leave, but he didn't move. John stepped out and Paul stuck his head back in to call out, "Randy! Get out here!"

Randy finally exited the limo. Ric paid the driver and they exchanged a few words before the driver pulled away. Paul looked at John and warned, "You should stay away for a while, Cena."

"Or what?" John couldn't help but be defiant.

For the first time since the kiss, Randy looked up to meet John's eyes. Orton's expression was pleading. He was telling John without words to stop antagonizing Hunter.

Paul stepped between them and told John angrily, "Or I'll make you wish you'd never been called up to the main roster."

John knew that Paul was not just making idle threats. He knew Paul had connections. Long after John became a top-card player, he was made even more aware of Paul's inner sanctum, a group of people who wanted to ensure that Paul took over the industry after Vince McMahon passed. Shane would have a falling out with his father that would make it appear as though Paul would in fact take the main position. Even after Shane returned to heal old wounds, Paul would strive to maintain that he would be next in line. The main issue with Paul's claim to the throne was that Paul had proven himself to be ill-equipped to lead the roster. He once served as manager of RAW for a period of time and failed miserably. The roster members were confused by this because they expected Paul to be a great leader, considering his experience as a wrestler, but they soon learned that the power had gone to his head and all he cared about was himself.

But this was the past. Only John knew that Paul was not meant to be the leader. The only real dirt on Paul was that he was dating Stephanie and planning to marry her, an event that produced mostly criticism in the locker room. Stephanie was Vince's daughter. Marrying her meant a higher position within the company. Many roster members believed that this was the only reason Paul was pursuing her. Although they would have a long and happy marriage that produced children, at this point in time, the main gossip was that Paul only wanted Stephanie for the title of McMahon-in-Law.

John took his leave without another word, making it appear to Paul like he had been defeated. The only real leverage John had at this point was somehow using Paul's engagement to Stephanie against him, but it would mean risking the future of the union between the two. Although John believed that fate would bring them back together should he try anything to tear them apart, he didn't like the idea of putting their children's timelines at risk by altering their path.

Once he reached his hotel room, John paced back and forth while he tried to think of a solution to his problem. He had done something spontaneous by kissing Randy, a move that stopped The Viper from shutting him out completely. The downside was that Paul and Batista saw the kiss and Batista was notorious for saying whatever was on his mind, which meant the secret would be out very soon. John could follow Ric's lead and play it off as a drunken mistake, but it could potentially turn Randy away from him once again.

All options seemed to point back to Paul. He was going to be the one who would keep John and Randy apart. John didn't like the potential consequences of breaking away from Randy, but he also knew that he was risking both their careers if he tried to go over Paul's head.

The sun began to rise and John was still working on a solution. He took a shower and dressed for the next day. He packed his things and headed downstairs to breakfast. Some other roster members were already taking advantage of the buffet that had been laid out. John ate the minimum so that he wouldn't be around when Paul came downstairs.

John went out to his car and filled it with his bags. He was planning on leaving for the next arena so Paul would be convinced that John had heeded his warning and was staying away. As long as Paul thought he had won, there would be no need to use anything against him.

John got into his car and turned the engine over. He was about to pull out of the parking lot when he realized that he hadn't called Elizabeth in days.

He turned the engine off and sat there for a few minutes in silence. He had repressed a large portion of himself and his emotions after he and Elizabeth divorced. Those emotions were still fresh in his mind. He knew that he couldn't avoid her, forever. His younger self would've called her every day. She would be wondering why he hadn't bothered. She would be concerned for his well-being, which meant she would call his family, which meant John would soon be getting a call from his mother, which meant more trouble for Paul to use against him.

John got out of the car and reluctantly walked back into the hotel. He saw a brunette woman at the front desk and asked, "Could I make a personal call?"

"Is it long distance?" she inquired.

John had forgotten that long distance calls were not so easy in the past. He nodded and she replied, "We'll have to charge you for it."

"That's fine," he replied.

She handed him a primitive looking wireless phone that had the small metal antenna sticking out of the top. John had to remind himself to dial the old phone number from the house Elizabeth was staying in at the time. He was grateful he had such a good memory for things like that, or he'd really be in deep shit.

"Hello?" Elizabeth answered after two rings.

"Um...hey, darling," John tried his best to sound optimistic.

"Oh, hi," Elizabeth breathed through the phone, sounding tired.

"Did I wake you?" John asked.

"I don't know...it's only about...five-thirty here," she must've checked the clock.

"Sorry, babe. I haven't called in a few days and I wanted to check in and let you know I'm good," John told her.

"Has it been that long? I've been out with the girls so much, I haven't paid any attention," Elizabeth replied.

Young John would've believed this story, but older and wiser John was aware that this was a ploy Elizabeth used to let him know he'd fucked up without actually using those words. His younger self would've carried on like always, until a later conversation turned into a huge fight and Elizabeth would remind him that he wanted to be married to his job more than he wanted her.

"I'm sorry, I fucked up," John said.

Elizabeth was quiet on the other end. Young John would not have thought to say this, so he wasn't sure how Elizabeth would react when he did. She breathed out a long sigh and said, "I appreciate it, love."

She didn't sound pleased, but she didn't sound like she was mad. John told her again, "I'm sorry."

"You've probably got to get out on the road, right?" Elizabeth asked.

John was surprised. He thought apologizing would clear the air, but Elizabeth didn't respond the way he expected her to. He took a moment to answer her, "Yeah, I'm headed out."

"Drive safe. I love you, John," Elizabeth said.

"I love you, too," John replied.

He could hear Elizabeth yawning as she reached out to put the phone back on its cradle. John put the phone back on his end. He saw the brunette woman on the other side of the front desk helping a customer. John checked the row of pamphlets on the top of the desk. There was usually a pamphlet for a flower delivery service. He found one and used the phone to call up an order for Elizabeth.

"What is your credit card number, Sir?" the male order taker asked.

John pulled out his wallet and dug out his card. It was an older one to him, but he recognized the bank as the one he had during this point in time. He used it to make the order and finished the call. After he hung up, John inspected his wallet. His driver's license and even his cash were all from the past. For some reason, this surprised him. He wasn't sure how he had gone back in time, but whoever sent him here had made sure that every detail was indeed from the past.

He looked up and caught the brunette woman staring at him. She was probably wondering why the well-built young man who asked to use the phone was staring at his wallet like it was something he didn't recognize. He flashed her a disarming smile and her cheeks turned red as she looked away. John quickly turned on his heel to leave and head back to his car.

"I was wondering when you'd talk to her," Randy's voice said from nearby.

John stopped and turned around to face him. Randy had his bag over his shoulder and he looked like he was heading out. John gave him a curious look and asked, "Aren't you staying for breakfast?"

"Paul wants me out. He thought I might cross paths with you at the buffet," Randy informed him.

"Well, I'm headed out, too. You should grab a meal," John said.

Randy shook his head and replied, "I don't think I'm hungry, anyway."

He tried to walk around John, but Randy stopped when John stepped in his path.

"You pissed about before?" John asked.

"I'm pissed Hunter threatened you," Randy answered.

John nodded and Randy managed to side-track him using his natural flexibility. It was a trait that John always found unexpected because he never knew when Randy was going to use it. John followed after him until Randy reached his car in the parking lot. Someone had brought it from the club, just like Paul said.

Randy opened the trunk and put his bag in. He closed the trunk and looked back at John like he didn't expect him to still be standing there. Randy told him in a mock-angry tone, "Get lost, shithead."

"Make me," John teased him with a wry grin.

Randy clenched his jaw and stayed where he was. He stared at John with a longing expression, like he wanted nothing more than to touch him, if only just to push him away. Randy's chest moved out and sunk back in with each deeply drawn breath, his gray eyes cold but penetrating in a way that John had never seen come from anyone else. John truly believed that Randy could see straight through him, past all the bullshit and the repression and the many masks that John wore with everybody else. Randy was the only one who ever saw John for who he really was. Randy was also the only one who didn't judge him for it.

"What are you thinking right now?" John asked curiously.

Randy did not immediately answer, which sent a wave of anticipating tingling through John's body, all the way down through his toes. He wanted Randy to tell him what was on his mind. He _needed_ Randy to tell him.

"I wanna know what your cock tastes like," Randy answered thickly.

John did not expect this answer. His eyes widened and he felt a chemical response to it.

"It probably tastes just like cock," John teased him with another mischievous grin.

"What does your cum taste like?" Randy asked, keeping his own tone low and serious.

"I don't know, I've never sampled the goods," John continued to joke around.

"You want to know what mine tastes like?" Randy asked.

"Probably like cock," John answered.

Randy bit down on his lower lip. John began to wonder if his teasing was turning into cruelty.

"Go back to your car and leave," Randy stated darkly.

"I wasn't making fun of you-" John clarified.

Randy came right up to him and John shut his mouth. Randy leaned in closely so he could breath into John's ear, "Get in your car and take off. I'm going to get in my car and jerk off to you."

John swallowed hard at the picture image in his mind. Randy leaned back to face him and said, "Go on, or I'll beat your ass and fuck the shit out of it."

Randy's eyes were dead serious. The words, images and ideas conjured by Randy's overly aggressive flirtations were making John's head spin. He wasn't used to someone talking to him like that outside of social media taunts from fucked up trolls. John opened his mouth to counter with something, but Randy abruptly turned away from him and went back to his car.

"Make sure no one's around so you don't get arrested," John said it just to get the last word.

Randy had gotten into the driver's seat when John made his remark. Randy turned back to glare at him. John knew he had gone too far when Randy said, "Come here."

John took a step forward but stopped short. The look in Randy's eyes was not one he recognized.

"Come here, John," Randy ordered him.

John slowly made his way over to Randy. He wasn't sure what the other man was thinking.

"You keep watch," Randy said, unzipping his jeans.

John stared at Randy. He couldn't believe Orton was doing this in front of him. John glanced around but saw no one who might catch on. Randy spit into his hand and clutched his building erection. He worked it while he stared at the crotch of John's jean shorts. John watched him with a sense of curiosity and arousal. The idea that they could get caught at any moment made the whole thing even more thrilling.

Randy was young and easily overstimulated. It didn't take him long to finish. John watched as Randy's expression went from overly serious to more calm and relaxed. Randy zipped himself back up and told John, "Fuck off."

"What? No happy ending for me?" John started teasing him, again.

Randy looked at him and said, "You'll get yours, asshole."

John opened his mouth to shoot another one liner, but Randy grabbed the door and closed it so forcefully that John had to move out of the way. Randy sped off before John could get in another joke.


	9. Chapter 9

9:

John was set for a two-week probation period after starting a fight with The Rock. This meant that he couldn't wrestle in front of the cameras, but he still had to show up at the arena and dress out. He may or may not be picked for a dark match. He may be asked to do the work of custodians or production team. He may be asked to help set up and break down the ring. He may be asked to run errands or stand by as backup for security.

He didn't mind having to do grunt work for two weeks. At least he was still being noticed. The worst thing that could happen to a wrestler was not to be acknowledged at all. That's when you knew you were really in the shit.

John helped to set up the skirt around the ring. It wasn't the easiest or most exciting part of the job, but he was fine with it. He was asked to wipe down the seats in the front rows. He was asked to get some autographs from Edge and deliver them to someone parked in the back of the lot. These types of deliveries were usually for wealthy fans who lived nearby and wanted autographs for their kids.

The arena filled up and soon the matches were starting. John was used to seeing flat screens everywhere playing out every scene as you wandered around backstage. He had to remind himself that he was still in the past and he would have to go by the production truck to see anything.

John was stopped by one of the male backstage crew members. The crew member told him, "Production needs more headphones. They're in storage room 8."

"I'm on it," John took off for the storage rooms.

He found some headphones. They were rather bulky and unattractive compared to what they would one day become. He hung as many as he could over each arm and kept his arms out while he walked back to the truck.

Another crew member with short dark hair stopped John in the hallway.

"You got a call from Elizabeth," the crew member read a note he had made and handed it to John.

John took the note and thanked the crew member. He made it to the truck and was told by a female crew member with blonde hair that they only needed one pair of headphones. John obliged her with one and carried the rest back to storage.

Once he was done, he went back to the food truck. There was usually a phone attached to the wall near the food truck. A few wrestlers were sitting down and eating near the food truck. John saw that Randy was among them.

Randy's back was facing John and he didn't seem to notice as John passed him by. John got to the phone and called Elizabeth back. The phone rang three times. John was prepared to leave a message when Elizabeth suddenly picked up.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Did you get the flowers?" John asked, smiling proudly.

"Yes. Yes, I did," Elizabeth sounded stern.

John's smile faltered. He hadn't expected this. He had apologized and sent Liz a gift in order to avoid a fight that he knew would certainly come if he didn't. There was no way he could think of as to why his plan would backfire.

"What's wrong? Were they dead?" he tried to joke to lighten the mood.

"What are you trying to do? You think you can just forget about me for a few days and then say you're sorry like nothing happened?!"

John had fucked up. Somehow, someway, he had fucked up. He had taken a different path than his former self would, but he had ended up with the same result.

"I didn't forget about you. It's been chaos around here," John started.

He tried to keep his voice low so the people around him didn't overhear. Liz had no problem raising her voice as she yelled, "I know how hard you work! You're constantly reminding me of that! What do you think, that I like having to point out that I miss you? Do you think it's easy for me to have to ask you to take the time to call me?!"

"I don't want to start a fight with you-" John told her.

Elizabeth hung up on him. John considered calling her back, but he knew it would only escalate things. He was also aware that he was still considered to be working and he should get back to it before more weeks were added to his sentence.

"Hey, John!" one of the Hispanic food truck members called out to him.

John stopped and a man with the nametag of MARK came out from the back of the truck. He asked, "You running errands for production right now?"

"No, not at the moment. Do you need some help?"

"I just need the trash cans emptied. There's an exit right behind you down the hall," Mark pointed over John's shoulder.

"Sure, I'm on it," John said.

There were three trash cans by the truck and they were all full. John liked the fact that they were on wheels and fairly easy to push outside. He emptied them one by one as carefully as he could, but he knew he would have to wash his hands right after he brought them back.

"Did you talk to Elizabeth?" John heard Randy's voice come from behind him.

John finished emptying the last trash can and turned to face Randy. The parking lot was dark and it was in the back of the arena. Most of the fans were inside the arena and the cars passing by were too far away to notice them.

"Yeah, I talked to her. She's pissed at me, again," John replied.

"Did you tell her you're from the future?" Randy mocked disdain.

"Of course!" John jokingly answered with a straight face.

Randy frowned and looked away. He seemed to be pondering something before he lifted his head and said, "She knows something's different about you. Everybody knows."

John nodded that he understood what Randy was getting at. John finished the thought out loud, "She thinks I'm cheating on her."

"You are, in a way," Randy said.

John became confused. He studied Randy as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"You kissed me," Randy answered.

"That's different," John replied.

"Different how?" Randy asked, sounding insulted.

John shook his head like he meant no offense as he explained, "I could tell Liz I'm taking it up the ass and she would tell me I had it coming."

Randy made a curious expression, like he was unsure how to process this information. John continued, "She wouldn't take it seriously. She could walk in on us and she would still think I was pranking her. Besides, you and I haven't become close friends, yet. She thinks you're my rival and we don't have much to do with each other."

"Does that make it easier?" Randy asked, his tone low.

"I don't understand," John answered.

Randy took a step closer to him and asked, "Is it easier for you to fool around with me because it won't break her heart?"

John was surprised by this idea. He hadn't even considered it, nor had he intended to lead Randy into believing that Elizabeth's feelings were more important than his.

"I don't think of you that way," John shook his head.

"What way?" Randy asked, taking another step closer.

Randy was close enough that John had to look up to him. He had always liked that Randy was somewhat taller, but not too tall. It gave him a kind of leverage that made their matches work out even better in the ring.

"Like you're second to her," John answered.

Randy blinked a few times and turned his head to one side. He focused on John's features, as if to determine whether the other man were teasing him some more. John was honest as he added, "I don't think of the two of you the same way, but I don't think either of you are better than the other."

There was a long pause in which Randy studied John intently. He could not or would not accept the fact that he was an equal in John's mind. When Randy did speak, he sounded unsure of himself, "I haven't given you a good reason to like me that much."

"I told you, I already know what happens between us, at least for the next couple of decades. You are the only constant in my life. Everything that happens to me from now on, you're either a part of or you're there for the aftermath," John explained.

"You say all that, but you also say we don't end up together," Randy reminded him.

John sighed and said, "That's because I never knew how you felt."

"You know now, but you don't want to change anything," Randy pointed out.

John shook his head and replied, "It's not like that."

"Then, what's it like?" Randy asked, a twinge of frustration in his voice.

John took a step towards him so that they were inches from one another. John told him thickly, "I'm just trying to fit all the pieces together. I don't know why I'm here. I don't know who sent me back here or if I even have a chance of getting back to my time. I keep thinking about the butterfly effect, here. What if I break up with Elizabeth and the genre of country music completely disappears as a consequence of my actions?!"

He was trying to find comedy in the darkness of the situation, but John couldn't help feeling a certain level of fear when prompted to make even the smallest change in his past. A part of him wondered if he was effectively erasing the future he knew by challenging himself to do something different. _Would he even recognize it if he ever got back?_

"You think about it too much," Randy responded.

John scoffed and Randy added smoothly, "If I was sent back from the future, I would do whatever the hell I wanted. I wouldn't give a shit."

"That's probably why whoever did this decided not to send _your_ ass back," John pointed out.

Randy laughed out loud. John couldn't help chuckling, himself. He knew future Randy was far more experienced than current Randy, but the odds of him creating more chaos were still extremely high.

When things were quiet, again, Randy looked at John and asked, "You really don't know how you went back in time?"

"I was drunk as fuck and I literally walked right into two-thousand and two," John stated.

Randy chuckled and asked, "You didn't slip and fall into a DeLorean or some shit?"

"No," John shook his head and added, "I was thinking about killing myself after Nikki ended our engagement."

John knew he had said too much as soon as the words left his mouth. John had momentarily forgotten he was talking to a different Randy who had no idea about his current problems. He saw Randy's expression change several times. He was struggling to process that future John was suicidal and engaged to yet another woman.

"Do I know this...Nikki?" Randy asked.

"Not yet," John answered.

"She's a wrestler?" Randy asked.

"Yeah," John nodded.

Randy was quiet for a moment, then he asked, "Do I like her?"

"I think so," John answered.

Randy shook his head and said, "I don't get it."

John was unsure how to respond, so Randy continued, "I don't know why I didn't tell you."

"You were..." John was trying to figure out how to explain it without giving away too much.

Randy narrowed his eyes and asked, "Am I fucking dead? Am I in a motherfucking coma? Did I fucking break my neck and I'm fucking retired or some shit-"

"You're married," John interrupted.

Randy shut his mouth and clenched his jaw. His eyes told John he was both shocked and furious. Randy shook his head and argued, "That's not who I am! You're making this shit up!"

"Why would I do that?" John countered.

"I don't know, to fuck with me? To keep me away from you? I don't fucking know, John!" Randy shot back.

Randy started pacing back and forth. He had no immediate outlet for his anger, so he punched the nearby dumpster as hard as he could. John heard a loud snap and Randy cried out in pain.

"My fucking shoulder!" Randy wailed.

"Fuck!" John shouted.

Randy dropped to his knees and held his right arm. John quickly told him, "I'll run back in and get the doctor."

Randy made a confused expression. John remembered that this was the past and they didn't have a group of medical professionals on hand at all times to check wrestlers out. Due to better technology, athletes could be assessed backstage and rarely had to make a trip to the hospital. This was a time when they usually had one or two medical personnel on staff and they didn't have the same kind of access to technology. Randy was looking at a trip to the ER and at least two weeks of recovery time for his double jointed shoulder once it's popped back in.

"Shit, I forgot," John said aloud.

"They'll send me to the ER," Randy told him.

"Yeah, I know," John replied.

"They won't let me come right back to work," Randy said.

"Yeah," John replied.

"I can't go home, John. I just got started," Randy's eyes filled with tears.

"I'll fix this. I'll figure it out," John replied.

He had to think fast. No one was around or aware of Randy's injury just yet. John knew about Randy's double jointed shoulders and he'd seem doctors put it back in, before. John had also studied exercise physiology in college. He was taught how to put a shoulder back in, but he also knew it would hurt like hell.

"I can put it back in, but you have to work with me on this," John said.

"It's happened, before. It hurts like a motherfucker," Randy replied.

"Exactly," John reached over to touch Randy's shoulder.

He felt around for the joint and positioned his hands properly. There were already signs of inflammation. Randy groaned and leaned up against the dumpster for support. John told him, "Lie down on the pavement."

"What?" Randy sounded confused.

"It's the way...it's the way they do it in the future," John replied.

Randy nodded and laid back against the pavement. John repositioned himself to get the right handle on Randy's injury. He gripped Randy's arm and held it up at an angle. John told Randy, "Count to seventy-nine."

"What? Seventy-ni-" Randy started.

John popped his shoulder back before Randy could finish his sentence. Randy cried out a couple of times, but the pain ended quickly. John took Randy's other hand to help him back up to the seated position. Randy took a few deep breaths and asked, "You think I can rest it for a while?"

"I don't know. You can try to talk to Paul. Tell him you strained it or something. Take at least two weeks," John told him.

Randy scoffed and replied, "He might give me three days at ringside."

"There are things that can help you to heal faster, but they aren't available, yet," John said.

Randy made a confused expression and asked, "What, do they have Star Trek tools to cure me in the future?"

"There are more people who speak Klingon," John answered jokingly.

"What?" Randy's eyes widened.

John helped Randy up to his feet and said, "You need to stay out of the ring for a while. I mean it. I've seen you come back too soon. Your shoulders can't take it."

Randy frowned, but nodded that he understood.

"Thank you, John," he said.

"Don't thank me. I'm the one who made you throw it out in the first place," John replied.


	10. Chapter 10

10:

John and Randy parted ways once they were back in the arena. Randy would be on his own coming up with an explanation for Paul as to why he needed to be sidelined. John was nervous that Paul would catch on to the fact that something was up, but when it came time for Evolution to step out, Batista took over the match and Randy was at ringside.

Since he was still on punishment, John had to stay late and help the other departments get cleared out. He didn't finish until long after the other wrestlers had gone back to their respective hotels. What John would give for a cell phone just to text Randy and make sure he was okay.

As the early morning hours came through, John found the nearest hotel to catch a few hours of sleep before he needed to be back on the road. One of the lighting coordinators had told John that Randy was staying at the same hotel. John knew that Randy was an erratic sleeper. He tended to sleep heavily for an hour or two while being wide awake for another hour. Randy took naps whenever he could to make up for lost time.

John went to the front desk and found a young man with short dark hair standing there. He asked with a tired smile, "Single or double?"

"I was actually wondering if you could tell me which room Randy Orton is in?" John asked.

The clerk chuckled and replied assertively, "We don't give out that kind of information, Sir."

John showed the clerk an ID badge that wrestlers used to confirm their identity before entering autograph signings and other secure events. His size alone should've tipped the clerk off that he was a wrestler, but John knew that wannabe wrestlers often tried to pass off as roster members.

The clerk looked over the ID but didn't seem impressed. He frowned and asked, "Do you have some other kind of proof?"

This kid was good.

John had forgotten the days when he was basically a nobody and went so completely unnoticed. There were times in recent years that he would give anything to be lost once more.

"Could you give Randy a call and tell him John is here? I'm sure he's up."

"Sir, I don't want to disturb our guests-"

"Please," John said.

The clerk gave him another once-over. He finally reached for the corded phone and dialed Randy's room number. The clerk was careful to make sure John wasn't watching which numbers he pressed. John had to hand it to the kid, he was better at security than most. John heard Randy ask in a groggy voice from the other end of the line, "Yeah?"

His deep Southern drawl was more pronounced when he was tired. The clerk immediately apologized and added, "A man named John Cheetah is here. He says you know him."

 _Cheetah_.

"What does he look like?" Randy asked.

Orton was obviously teasing him. John made a heavy sigh as the clerk looked him over again and said, "Uh...he's kind of tall but not really...and he has short hair that could almost pass for blonde but..."

The kid shrugged his shoulders. John rolled his eyes as the clerk continued, "He has a cleft in his chin and he's wearing jean shorts...he's built pretty well but he kind of looks like he's a bouncer rather than a wrestler..."

"Send him up," Randy replied.

"Sure thing," the clerk apologized once more even though Randy had already hung up and the dial tone was on.

"Room 224," the clerk told John.

"Thank you," John said as the clerk handed him a key card.

John went upstairs and down the hall. He tried to stay quiet in case other wrestlers were nearby. The last thing he needed was a run-in with an Evolution member wondering why he's going to Randy's room at 2AM.

He reached Randy's door and knocked quietly before using his key card to come in. Randy was under a single bed, his feet sticking out at the end almost to his knees. The blankets were partially covering his exposed chest and the top sheet was rolled up on the floor. Randy had a pillow behind his head and two others on a chair by the window. The shades were drawn and the room was fairly dark except for the light of the TV.

Randy had the TV on mute. It was playing a basketball game. John checked it out as he dropped his bag. He was used to all the technological advances of recent times that made the game far more interactive. It looked downright primitive without high definition and numerous replays and bars talking about fantasy plays and injury lists and scores for other games.

He suddenly realized how much information there was to process at any given time in his future. It was almost embarrassing how hard his brain had to work just to keep up with the simplicity of the time he was currently in. Being in the past where there was far less to absorb, he was becoming increasingly impatient with the lack of extra perks.

"Why'd you ask to see me?" Randy still sounded groggy as he rubbed his eyes.

"I thought you'd be awake," John replied.

"I am, now," Randy said with a twinge of agitation in his voice.

John checked Randy's shoulder. It was wrapped in an ice pack and duct tape. He asked somberly, "Is your shoulder doing better?

"It feels like somebody's yanking on it every five minutes," Randy answered.

"You want me to massage it or something?" John asked.

"I don't need your sausage fingers all over me," Randy teased him.

John chuckled and asked, "You mind if I use your bathroom?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Randy waved John away absently.

John picked up his bag and went into the bathroom. He closed the door and did what he could to get ready for bed. He had to skip some of his rituals to save time, which was difficult but a necessity. John needed a shower, so he undressed and worked quickly to get through it.

He thought he had made good progress, but nearly an hour had passed by the time he was done. His cursed himself for taking so long and John turned off the light before leaving the bathroom. He assumed Randy was asleep again and he didn't want to disturb him twice in one night.

"What took you so long?" Randy growled at him when John came out.

"I was hoping you'd be out cold so I could get the hell out of here," John joked dryly.

He put his bag down by the far wall. Randy had a couple of bags on the table next to the TV. John pointed at the rolled up top sheet on the floor and asked, "Was that really necessary?"

"I hate those fucking top sheets. My legs get stuck in 'em and I can't get out," Randy argued.

John chuckled at the image of Randy struggling to get out of a twisted up top sheet. Randy frowned at him and John asked, "You sure you don't want me to take a look at your shoulder?"

"It's fine, dipshit," Randy told him.

"You sound sad, my friend. What can I do to make you smile?" John teased him.

"Shut up!" Randy barked.

John laughed and went over to the other side of the bed. Since it was a single, there wasn't much space for both men to fit. John sat down on the other side and Randy told him, "You're sleeping on the floor."

"What?" John pretended to be hurt.

"I'm tired. I don't wanna play games. Get on the floor," Randy grumbled.

"So rude," John acted offended.

John got up and went to his bag by the wall. He pulled out some pain relieving cream and went back over to the other side of the bed. He reached for the duct tape on Randy's shoulder. Despite Orton's aggressiveness so far, he allowed John to take a look.

Randy's shoulder was red and swollen. John worked to take the duct tape off without causing too much pain. Randy grunted and groaned a few times. John took a pillow to elevate Randy's shoulder slightly, then he got to work with the pain relieving cream.

John was certified in Swedish massage, an achievement that he didn't exactly mention because most people he knew didn't care all that much. Randy seemed to notice something as he asked, "You're pretty good at this. Did somebody train you?"

"I watched a lot of YouTube videos," John answered.

"What?" Randy asked, confused.

John reminded himself that YouTube was not a big thing at this point in time. He shook his head and replied, "Sorry. I keep forgetting we're in the past."

"What do I look like? In the future," Randy asked.

His voice sounded sad, like he was certain any news of his future would be bleak. John took in a deep breath and replied, "Actually, you look better with age."

Randy shot him an incredulous look. John quickly added, "I'm serious! You've got this thick dark beard-"

"I can't grow a beard. It comes out too light. It looks stupid," Randy argued.

"They make a lot of strides with beard care in the future. You use a special dye in it that makes it dark. It makes you look more mature. I'd go so far as to say you look hot."

"Hmmm," Randy hummed as he jutted out his chin and pictured himself with a thick dark beard.

"You have a lot more tattoos. They work for you. Some guys, they get tattoos and it doesn't look quite right. Yours are perfect. I've never seen anyone with tattoos that blend together as well as yours."

Randy nodded as if pleased with this revelation.

"Am I happy?" Randy asked.

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"Being married. Am I happy with the wife and all that," Randy asked.

John decided not to tell Randy that he is more comfortable in his second marriage than his first. Instead, he replied with a nod, "Yeah, you're happy."

"I still can't figure out why I didn't tell you," Randy said.

John reached a sore spot on Randy's shoulder and he let out a low groan from the pain. John apologized quietly and worked the sore spot smooth. He glanced up at Randy, who was waiting for an answer.

"I don't know why you didn't tell me. All I know is that I had no idea how you really felt," John said.

John was trying to be honest, but Randy could not seem to come to terms with this answer.

"I knew you were suffering. All these years, I knew something was different about you. There were times where you would pull away from me and I thought you might disappear forever. We had periods of time where we fought a lot. There were a couple of times when I thought we weren't even friends, anymore. You have...you will have a history of overusing painkillers. You will become very reckless as you do better in the industry. It was like you didn't care what happened to you."

"That sounds more like me," Randy said.

John sighed and continued, "I didn't like seeing you that way. I didn't want you to implode like that. Nobody did. I thought you were a giant asshole who didn't care about anybody. Your wife was worried about you. Paul was worried about you. Vince was ready to fire you many times. Your legacy in the business was the main reason why you weren't cut-off."

"So, I should thank my dad for my success?" Randy sounded bitter.

"That's not what I mean. It was the main reason, but not the only reason. You're a natural at this, Randy. You seem like you were born to be a wrestler. Your moves, your finisher, your entire career...most of us would kill to have the skill that you do in the ring."

Randy didn't have a response to that, so John went on, "I'm serious. We have a lot of matches, together. I trust you. You gave my dad a concussion once by accident, but I still trust you."

"I what?!" Randy was wide-eyed.

"It's a move that went wrong during one of our rivalries. It's not important right now," John informed him.

"Well, be sure to tell me when it's coming up. I don't think the universe would be too unbalanced if I decided not to put your daddy in the hospital," Randy replied.

John chuckled and Randy asked, "What?"

"I like your voice. You say things like daddy instead of dad. That Missouri tone...it makes me smile," John answered.

"It's just my voice," Randy brushed off the compliment.

John finished massaging Randy's shoulder and asked, "Do you have another ice pack?"

"I put one out on top of the ice machine. It's just down the hall," Randy said.

John got up and left the room to get it. He came back with the pack and a bucket of ice so he could put the used pack on top of the ice to cool it down. John applied the cold ice pack and used less duct tape so Randy could get it off a little easier. Once he was finished, John laid down on his side next to Randy.

"Didn't I tell you to get on the floor?" Randy argued.

"I wanna ask you something," John said.

Randy blinked with surprise and asked, "Aren't you from the future? Don't you know so much more than me?"

"I know now that there's a lot I wasn't aware of," John answered.

Both men were quiet for a while, then Randy asked, "What do you wanna know?"

John sat up on his elbow to face Randy better as he asked, "If I kiss you right now, will you freak the fuck out?"

Randy tensed up, then he tried to regain his composure as he scoffed and replied, "No."

"Are you sure? I'm an amazing kisser. It might get you sprung," John teased him.

"Shut the fuck up," Randy rolled his eyes.

John scooted himself a little closer to Randy. Orton narrowed his eyes at him like he thought John was merely playing another prank on him. John rolled over so he was halfway on top of Randy without putting too much pressure on his injured shoulder. John leaned in a little, then a little more.

Randy watched him the whole time, his expression hard. He didn't want John to know how much he needed this. John was just an inch from Randy's lips when he mumbled, "You smell good."

"Probably not my breath," Randy grumbled back.

John didn't really notice. He pressed his lips against Randy's and measured the sensation. Orton's lips were soft, but kind of dry. John pulled away and took another breath before taking a deeper kiss.

Randy reached up with his good hand to curl it over John's face. Randy tried to lean over a bit to get closer to John, but his shoulder wouldn't let him. John responded to Randy's attempt by climbing on top of him so Randy didn't have to lean at all.

John could feel Randy getting hard under the covers. For John, it was still an exploration of sorts. His body was young and easily responsive to most forms of stimulation. He knew he could get hard and even climax. What John was more interested in was his connection to Randy. Did he want Orton to be touching him like this? Did he like it? Would he like it enough to want it, again?

The first surprise for John was how good of a kisser Randy was. John had been in his share of make-out sessions, but never with a man. Randy was his first and only test subject and he had proven to be fairly skilled at it.

Randy pulled away suddenly and let out a groan of pain. His erection was being smothered by blankets and Johns weight on top. John considered the consequences of easing Randy's pain. Freeing him would mean that Randy would want John to do something about it. John considered if he was ready to do that. He wasn't exactly repulsed by the idea. In fact, it fascinated him to be able to see how excited Randy was for him.

John sat forward so he could pull the blankets away. He found Randy to be completely naked underneath the covers, which saved him some time. John was still in boxers and a t-shirt, but as soon as he leaned forward, Randy was grabbing at his shirt with his good hand to try and take it off.

John helped Randy remove his shirt, but he wasn't ready to take off his boxers just yet. John reached for Randy's erection and enclosed it in his fist. He felt the head twitch in response. Randy moaned and his eyes rolled back into his head. He breathed out with a sense of vulnerability, "John."

Cena didn't have a source for lubrication, so he let go of Orton and spit into his hand before taking hold of Randy, again. Another long moan escaped the lips of the Southerner as John debated about what to do, next.

He had never given another man relief, before. He did to Randy what he did to himself and began stroking him. Randy responded gratefully, holding fast to John's hips while he writhed underneath him. John felt an odd sense of power over Orton that he couldn't quite explain. Randy was relying on John to keep going, to release him from his highly aroused state. Randy wanted John to be the one to do this for him. He was responding so strongly because it was John who was holding him.

Randy reached around with his good hand and gave John's backside a hard squeeze. It surprised John and he leaned forward, feeling his own groin interrupting his process. Randy looked at him and asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," John tried to keep his bearings.

John began working harder on Randy to avoid his own building arousal. Randy responded with another squeeze of John's backside. John leaned forward enough that Randy could lean up and kiss him. John felt a sense of longing when Randy's lips pulled away from his.

Randy released into John's hand. What was left was sticky and warm. John didn't know what to do with it. He wanted to wash it off, but he couldn't move well because of his own arousal.

"You want to taste it?" Randy asked.

"I don't know," John's mind was more focused on his erection than his hand.

Randy looked down and asked thickly, "You want me to take you?"

"I don't know," John replied.

He rolled off of Randy and laid back against the bed. John held his hand up and inspected the remains of Randy's release. He was confused by his own thoughts. He was curious to know what it tasted like.

Randy had moved from his place on the bed. He was kneeling over John's middle. Randy tugged his boxers down with his good hand and came down to take John's erection inside his mouth.

John's eyes widened with a mix of pleasure and surprise. He was not aware that Randy was planning to do something like this. John closed his eyes and tried to focus. He didn't want to sound too eager, but he couldn't help the low moans that escaped from deep within him.

Randy was better at this than he was at kissing. John felt the wetness and the warmth surrounding his cock. He liked that Randy was rough but not overbearingly so. It felt like being inside of a woman, but there were things that Randy could do with his tongue which made it far more interesting. John's younger body climaxed before he really wanted to.

John watched as Randy sat up and drank down the remains of John's release. Randy closed his eyes and savored it like a fine wine.

Randy laid back down against the bed. John had to rest his head on Randy's chest because there wasn't enough room left on the bed. John put his arm around Randy's good shoulder as he heard Orton begin to snore quietly.

John closed his eyes and joined Randy in a state of deep and undisturbed slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

11:

Randy and John woke up to the sound of an alarm clock.

Randy promptly grabbed it and threw it against the wall.

John sat up and tried to take in his surroundings. His body felt like it hadn't been resting that long. Randy took a little longer to sit up, his shoulder aching from the effort.

"We should get going," John said.

"I don't wanna go anywhere. I wanna stay here with _you_ ," Randy replied.

"I want you to get the hell out," John countered jokingly.

Randy didn't laugh, but kept his eyes focused on John in a serious way. John asked him thickly, "What's goin' on in that big head of yours?"

Orton blinked slowly and replied in his deep Southern tone, "You don't have to play along."

"What else is there to do?" John continued to try and coax a chuckle from the injured young man.

Randy breathed a long sigh and confessed, "I was screwed up long before I sniffed you out, Cena. You're not holding me back from going off the bluff by keeping your mouth shut and letting me do stuff to you."

John blinked with surprise as he asked, "You think I'm trying to rescue you?"

"You said I had a drug problem in your future. I bet you think it's because I couldn't be with you, but I'm not that sentimental," Randy informed him.

"That's some dark shit, man," John refused to let Randy dampen his good mood.

"You're an asshole," Randy glared at him.

"Technically, I'm a cheerful nihilist," John put it plainly as he added, "And I'm here because I want to be, not because I think you need me to be."

A loud knock at the door sent John springing up to his feet. Batista yelled from the other side of the door, "Get a move on, Orton! We've got a long ride, ahead!"

Heavy footfalls were made as Batista walked back down the hall. John looked at Randy and asked curiously, "You're riding with Batista?"

Randy shrugged it off as he answered, "Paul thinks I'm going to fuck things up because I asked to stay at ringside last night."

"So he's pairing you up with Batista?" John was confused.

Randy shook his head and replied, "Me and Batista are basically competing for the same air time. Paul thinks it'll remind me what's what, if I ride with the dirty bastard."

John chuckled and asked, "Was Flair being serious when he said Batista was experimenting with his sexuality?"

"When was this?" Randy's brow furrowed.

"After I kissed you at the night club. Paul was going off on us and Ric said that Batista was experimenting as well but Paul wasn't throwing a fit about him. From what I can recall, Batista didn't deny it," John explained.

"Oh," Randy's eyes lifted to the ceiling as he tried to think about the events of the night club incident. All men involved were very drunk and John was amazed that Randy could remember anything at all.

"Yeah, Batista likes all kinds. He says he's not a freak show but he does freak show shit," Randy said.

"What do you mean?" John asked curiously.

Randy looked away and replied, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay," John said, unsure why Randy had suddenly shut down.

Randy bypassed John to get to his bags and retrieve a change of clothes. Any romantic notions that were once in the air had quickly been sucked out. John watched Randy with a curious expression, wondering why Orton would choose not to relay a little dirt for some good laughs.

"You can head out, first. I'll come out a little later so no one sees me leaving your room," John informed him.

Randy nodded but didn't look his way. John couldn't help but ask, "Did I hit a nerve?"

"What? No, no, I'm just gonna be late," Randy answered.

John watched as Randy took his clothes and headed into the bathroom. Again, John saw himself being bypassed by a suddenly hurried Randy. Once Randy closed the door, John made a mental note to himself that this conversation should be revisited when Randy wasn't so cramped for time.

:-:

As discussed, Randy left the room, first. There were no good-bye kisses or other displays of affection that went along with having a girlfriend. John felt an odd sense of liberation from the usual rituals. It wasn't that he disliked kissing his girlfriend or putting his hands on her hips while she leaned into him and told him she loved him. He just found that the absence of a need for such things made the terms of his relationship with Randy much simpler.

They knew they'd see one another, again.

Randy seemed less hurried when he left the room, but he wasn't in the mood to talk. John waited a good fifteen minutes before he left and he made sure to go straight to his car. He had called to order take-out from a local restaurant and he was able to pick it up before leaving town. John liked it better when he could make an order using an app on his cell phone, but he encountered no issues using the landline phone from his hotel room.

John drove for a long time in silence. He considered listening to the radio, but his mind was full of thoughts about the events of last night. He couldn't help analyzing every single moment of his memory and what the potential consequences might be. The more he tried to imagine a positive outcome, the more obstacles he faced with the future he knew versus the alternate path he had chosen.

He reached a point where he began to wonder why he was sent back in time. This question was considerably tricky to come up with theories for because he had no clues at all. It seemed more reasonable to believe he was in a coma and this was all a dream sequence he had made up in his own head. The coma theory didn't explain why he still needed to sleep, or why he could still feel hungry or sad or horny or curious or all the other things that came with being a conscious human being.

Another theory he had was that God put him here. John didn't exactly believe a higher power would have the desire to return him to a place in time just so he could get off with another male jock. Randy had also made it explicitly clear that John was not going to save his life, so God was out.

There was a more sinister theory that John was dead and this was his own version of limbo, but there was still the problem of his experience being very much a testament to the fact that he was still alive. As with his coma theory, he was showing all signs that he had not left his body behind.

When he thought about what he had achieved so far, John didn't find futher clues as to why he was in the past. All he had done in the short time he had been there was infuriate Elizabeth, infuriate Paul, infuriate The Rock, risk his entire career and make it past third base with Randy. He wasn't exactly mending the timeline or saving millions of lives. It seemed that the only assumption he could make was that his return to the past may not have been plotted out all that well by whomever sent him on his way.

John did consider the theory that his far-in-the-future self had somehow sent him back through time. Maybe his older self had regrets and older Cena was living in an era when time travel came easily. John still didn't really like this theory. He knew himself well enough to believe that his older self would've tried to find a way to make a prank out of the whole thing. John would've found a set of football and baseball scores written on a note in his pocket along with some wisecrack from his future self that said: Make me rich, or he would've found a gift basket in his car full of photos with obscene gestures and a note that said: Cock Blockers was your best work.

All he really had to go on was that he had been shit-faced drunk when he stepped into the past, but that wasn't much to go on, either. He had gotten drunk again since he was in the past, and he had made no other time jumps. He wondered if going back to the same hallway in the same arena that he stepped into would make any difference, but he doubted it. Arenas were one of the busiest places to be with constant venues. If someone had left a door open at the arena for him to return back to his place in time, there would be a lot of assholes from the past who would've already walked through it.

The least likely theory that John could come up was quickly rising to the top of the list as the most probable reason for his time jump: The whole thing was a fluke.

When he first considered it, he was mostly joking. Based on what he knew from pop culture and The Science Channel, time travel was a blend of basic physics and a series of events that had to come together perfectly for the process to be achieved. Due to the fact that perfection was not a regular part of the universe or human nature, the odds of time travel succeeding in one shot were too difficult to caclulate. There were too many things that could go wrong.

Yet, there were many times John had encountered situations where the odds seemed astronomical that a certain outcome would be reached and it still was. He had seen his share of wrestlers who nearly died in freak accidents that never should've happened. He had seen couples meet one another in situations that could only be described as kismet. John himself had faced a number of obstacles in his personal life where the odds were not the least bit in his favor, but he somehow overcame.

It disappointed him to think that his time jump may have been the result of him being in a certain place at a certain time when a certain tear had formed in the fabric of space and time. It also meant that it would be impossible for him to return to his current point in time, a notion that he didn't want to consider. If he accepted this theory, John would also have to come to terms with the inevitability that he would have to re-live the next decade over again, making new mistakes and potentially obliterating the future he knew. This would not only be mentally taxing due to the construct of time and years feeling like a long part of it, but it would also mean there were no guarantees about his rise to the top of the roster or his career in film. It would also mean that anyone he had ever encountered as a result of his career and his travels may never meet him at all.

The sick children he visited for Make a Wish may never know him at all. He may not stay in the business long enough to meet Nikki. Any financial donations he made to his family for medical bills could never come to pass. John could die in a car crash two days from now or he could become a successful surgeon in Maryland. Everything he had ever known was essentially up in the air.

John was familiar enough with Chaos Theory to know that his life was always uncertain, but knowing what he knew about the future he lived meant that he could end up having a mental collapse trying to maintain the truth of the beliefs he had already established for himself. A potential future spent entertaining delusions of what might have been while he drank himself to death was not completely off the table.

He reassured himself that there was still very little to go on, and all of the theories he had so far were not concrete. What he did know for sure was that Randy Orton was in love with him, a revelation that was not in John's previous timeline of events.


	12. Chapter 12

12:

John made it to the arena early. He was so lost in thought that he almost drove right past it.

Being a man of a mechanical nature, John was always checking the vehicles in his given surroundings for signs of new trends and classic prides. He was partial to classic cars and spent much of his WWE earnings at car shows. He also enjoyed the benefits of newer vehicles and their expanding capabilities with computer technology.

Thought it may not be a concern to most, John found it difficult for his mind to process what vehicles from the past were lacking compared to his knowledge of the present. GPS was not a basic function. There were no computer screens to beep a warning when you're getting too close to another car. Music was not yet a system of thousands of radio channels at your fingertips. It was local stations or a CD.

Wrestlers mostly lived on company buses, rental cars and used vehicles. So much of their time was spent driving that the mileage was always driven way up. The few who could afford it flew everywhere they went. Private jets were a thing at one time, but the cost was a major factor in the downfall of WCW, which taught a lesson to wrestlers about the value of the motor vehicle.

John would eventually purchase his own private motor home with custom amenities. For now, he could only look at The Undertaker's custom motor home in the parking lot as he walked by with a blend of longing and appreciation.

"John!" a male voice boomed.

John stopped and turned his head from side-to-side in an effort to catch a glimpse of his caller. He found Edge near the entrance waving a hand in the air. Edge jogged over to John and asked, "You seen Chris?"

There were several guys named Chris on the main roster at the moment, but John knew he was referring to Christian as he replied, "No, I haven't."

Edge scowled and stated, "If you see him, don't tell him you saw me."

"You know how I feel about lying," John teased him dryly.

Edge responded with a hard punch to John's arm. John feigned major injury while Edge took off jogging across the parking lot in the opposite direction of the arena. John knew full well that Edge and Christian were long-time friends and tag-team partners, but Edge was the more scandalous of the two. If Edge was out on his own, it meant that trouble was brewing.

"Hey, Johnny!" Edge called to him once more.

John turned around. He saw Edge a long way off. Edge started jogging bag to him and John waited until he caught up. It was typical of Edge to go out of his way to say or do something stupid, funny or outrageous. John expected another punch in the arm.

Edge stopped a short distance away and asked more seriously, "Did you piss off Davy?"

John first pictured Davey Richards, who was on the current roster. He was reminded he was in the past because of Edge's long hair and much younger face. John processed what he knew as the roster of the past and he remembered that Edge often called Batista by the name of Davy. The Canadian roster members generally did, though Batista considered adding a "y" to his name too friendly for his liking and he insisted many times that he should be called Dave or Batista.

"I insulted his mom on several occassions but that can't be it," John joked.

Edge let out a short chuckle, appreciating the reference to Batista's bordering-on-Momma's-boy attitude about jokes pertaining to the matriarch. He became more serious again and said, "He was throwing some fit in the locker room about how disrespectful you are."

"Disrespectful? That's not much of a cut-down," John shrugged.

Edge raised a curious brow and asked, "You really have no idea what he's on about?"

John shrugged, again. Edge wagged a finger at him and said, "You'll be getting your ass kicked, anyway. I have insight about these things."

John was about to quip with another joke about how Edge was only wise to getting his ass kicked because he stole Lita away from Matt Hardy, but he stopped himself when he remembered that " _LitaGate_ " was years away.

Out of all the roster members John had met over the years, Edge was the most like him when it came to snappy comebacks and lightning quick reads on body language. The incident registered on John's face for only a second and Edge was jogging backwards away from him, but Edge still analyzed just as fast as John would've in the same position.

Edge stopped short and asked, "What's that look, for?"

 _Shit_.

Edge was tenacious when he spotted a crack in the expression mask. If John said it was nothing, Edge would immediately catch on to the lie. If John sold him a story, Edge might still ask about it later just to register if the story sticks or a deviation stems from its place. It was a personality trait that John liked about Edge, but in this moment, it could mean the difference between altering the course of Edge and Lita's future or keeping the train crash on the same tracks as before.

"I think I remember why Batista wants to kick my ass," John said.

It was the truth, though not the one Edge was searching for.

Edge seemed to pick up on this, his own emotions registering as flashes across his face just like they did with John. The two men were like chameleons, constantly changing the color of their emotions quickly in ways that would leave most people in the dark.

"You're not telling me everything...and I respect that," Edge stated.

He was also using a half-truth. Edge was on a mission and needed to cut the conversation short for now, but he would be coming back to ask John about the situation at some point in the near future.

"You wanna know why Batista wants to kick my ass?" John asked.

Edge shook his head and took off across the parking lot. John couldn't help but laugh. Edge was never one to seek out easy answers. Edge liked solving the ones that people didn't want to give, but the ones that he could hear about later from Christian were not worth any extra effort. John watched Edge disappear into a black van at the end of the parking lot. John turned back to the arena and went inside.

John tried to remember the events of his past. He and Batista had fought before, but most of those events happened after Batista was a top-card player. Batista always had a big ego, and the celebrity of rising up the ranks added to his belief that he could say whatever he wanted without consequences. Batista had a history of relationship troubles in his personal life, but he would become well known for spouting relationship advice to anyone he thought wasn't doing it right. John was a prime target because he and Elizabeth fought almost constantly after they were married. It was a point of contenture that Batista enjoyed putting his own opinions on.

Early Batista was not much of John's concern in his previous past. They were rising up about the same time, and John was more focused on his own rise to the top. The only logical conclusion would be that Batista was targeting John because of his recent closeness with Randy Orton, a relationship that Batista seemed to have a direct impact upon despite Dave being third on the list of Randy's three closest allies in Evolution.

John decided he had to reassess the Batista part of the equation. He initially thought of Batista as a minor blip in Randy's history. This was in part due to John's lack of friendship with Batista, which gave him a lot less to go on as far as what kind of a man Batista was in private. Most of what John knew about Dave was based on things he had heard from others who were close with him. When John thought about it even further, he realized something surprising: In all the years that John had known Randy, there were very few times he could recall Orton mentioning Batista for any reason.

John wondered if the kiss he shared with Randy at the nightclub was going to come back and bite him in the ass. He knew Paul and Ric wouldn't rat out Randy, but John was not so sure what Batista would do. With Randy and John out of his way, Batista may think he could rise up the ranks a lot faster.

He decided that the most logical course of action would be to ask Batista for himself.

John went straight to the locker room. There were guys everywhere getting dressed out for matches. Bradshaw saw John pass by and stated loudly, "Aren't you on probation, newbie?!"

John ignored him and kept moving. He searched the locker room but found no sign of Batista. John was on his way out when Christian walked in and asked, "Have you seen Adam?"

"He ran out to the parking lot and took off," John answered.

Christian rolled his eyes and shook his head. He glanced back at John and said, "I think Davy is looking for you."

"Have you seen him?" John asked.

Christian pointed back over his left shoulder and said, "I think he's in Hall H."

"Thanks," John replied.

Christian winked at him and took off down the hall to find Edge. John went the opposite direction. He looked up to check the hallway labels as he passed. He was in Hall B and it took some time to find Hall H. The hallway itself was dark and there wasn't anyone else around. Some of the guys liked to find empty places backstage so they could get in the zone before going out to a match. John moved carefully as he listened for signs of life.

He was almost to the end of the hallway when he heard Batista's low voice coming through one of the doors.

John reached for the handle to the door, but he stopped short when he heard Batista say, "...think we should take him out."

"His condition isn't so bad. We could keep him at ringside for a couple of weeks," Paul's voice replied calmly.

John assumed they were discussing Randy's shoulder injury. Batista sounded frustrated as he argued, "You don't know how bad it is! You won't let him go to a doctor!"

Paul quickly countered, "I'm trying to make this work for all of us. Vince won't think twice about dissolving Evolution if their golden member is out of action for two months. We need him in the game so we can keep getting screen time."

"Vince'll wonder why Randy's not wrestling," Batista pointed out.

Paul replied quietly, "We'll make it look like he's still wrestling. You'll be in a match and a couple of guys will rush out to interfere. Randy can keep them at bay."

One of the men made a deep sigh. John figured it was Batista because he stated gruffly, "You know that Cena did this."

Paul replied like he was less convinced, "You think _The Kid_ hurt Randy? Why?"

"I don't know! We saw them kissing at the night club! I'm pretty sure Cena was in Orton's room this morning! They're fucking around with each other! Maybe Orton likes it rough!"

John was surprised by the level of perceptiveness Batista had. He was so careful about entering and leaving Randy's room and he was sure no one saw him. Paul laughed out loud and replied, "Your mind goes to the darkest places, Dave! You come up with the weirdest shit!"

Paul obviously didn't believe that Randy's injury was due to John. This was a relief to some degree, but it also meant that Batista would be more angry in the long run.

"Why don't you get it?! Orton and Cena are a thing! They're doing some kind of fucked up shit! I know it!"

Batista seemed determined to prove his point. This was confusing to John. Why would Batista think that John deliberately hurt Randy? Why did Batista think it was due to a sexual fetish? It seemed more logical to think that John wanted Randy out so he could rise up the ranks.

Paul responded with, "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I want this shit to stop."

Batista argued, "What shit?! I'm just telling you what I know!"

Paul countered with, "You don't know anything! That's the point! You're just making it up! Randy said he strained his shoulder working out! That's happened to plenty of us!"

"You're blind, old man!" Batista yelled.

John didn't wait to hear how Paul responded. John turned on his heel to walk out of the hallway. He knew that Paul was likely going to walk out at any moment and he didn't want to be seen eavesdropping.

John made his way back through the arena. He was in Hall E when he looked up and saw Stephanie McMahon coming his way.

He stopped and moved aside to let her through. Instead of going past him, Stephanie stopped and asked, "Have you seen Paul?"

John shook his head and replied, "I'm looking for Dave."

"Oh," Stephanie nodded her head and looked down.

She looked like she was in deep thought about something. John asked her, "Do you want me to track him down for you? I'm on probation at the moment. Your wish is my command."

Stephanie smiled and let out an airy chuckle, but she didn't look up at him. John asked her, "Are you alright, darlin'?"

"Um..." she finally looked up at him.

John saw something reflecting from Stephanie's eyes. It was the same thing that he saw reflecting in his own eyes whenever he looked in the mirror and registered his older consciousness in his much younger self. He was looking directly at the Stephanie from the past, but her eyes were the Stephanie from his future.

She made her signature half-smile and asked, "Do you ever feel like you're in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

John opened his mouth to answer her when Paul called from behind him, "Steph!"

They broke the conversation short so Stephanie could walk around John and greet Paul. John watched as Paul scooped Stephanie up in a big hug and she giggled in response. John took the opportunity to leave. He was grateful to be spared any awkward exchanges with Paul.

For the first time since he had gone to the past, John felt an inkling of hope that perhaps he was not the only one who was lost. The only problem was that his companion in time travel was Stephanie, who happened to be in love with Paul. The uneasy alliance that Paul and John had would completely break down if John were caught hanging around Stephanie.

John considered going about his business and leaving Stephanie alone. He might be completely wrong about her, which meant that he could potentially upset a McMahon and put his future in worse jeopardy than it already was. Even still, John couldn't deny what he saw.

He just had to know that he wasn't alone.


	13. Chapter 13

13:

Randy Orton knew things were bad as soon as Batista demanded they ride together.

Batista started talking as soon as Randy got in the car with him to head to the next arena. It was not so much a conversation as one of Batista's _I'll talk and you listen_ lectures. Left uninterrupted, Batista could carry on for hours. He was one to beat the proverbial dead horse, which meant that Randy could expect more speeches on the same subject in the coming weeks.

The first words out of Batista's mouth were, "You have to stay away from that guy."

Randy didn't have to ask who that guy was. Batista was obviously referring to John Cena, though he rarely mentioned the younger man by name, keeping his references limited to curse words like, "That asshole," or, "That dickhead."

It made him angry, but Randy kept his mouth shut. He knew that arguing with Batista would only give him more reason to talk. Randy would never make this known out loud, but he often thought of Batista as too much like a woman when it came to conversations. He acted like he knew everything and there was no trying to get out of it when he thought you had wronged him in some way. His strict set of rules for those around him were not to be ignored, or the consequence would be more lectures.

Despite being a complete hardass who barely followed his own rigid standards, Batista believed himself to be well liked by those around him. He boasted about the high respect he was given by The McMahons. Batista was so confident he would become top-card with Paul and Ric on either side of him that he spoke of his promotion in the present tense, "With my top-card status..."

Randy was not fooled, but he understood that he and Batista were essentially in the same boat. The roster tolerated Batista, but they were threatened by Randy's legacy and his father's close connection to Vince. Randy couldn't help that his family was wrestling royalty. He was aware of his talent in the ring, which was yet another reason for the other guys to hate him. Randy was destined for greatness without even having to try. It was the kind of thing the wrestling business took as an insult. You were meant to pay your dues, and Randy was not being billed.

He seemed to have a knack for being able to create while he simultaneously destroyed. There was a darkness about Randy since childhood, one that kept him from being completely accepted by those around him. He had friends here and there, people he formed a bond with who also had the darkness or those who tried to help him to reduce the darkness and find more room for light. He didn't understand it, nor did he like it. He often saw himself as a reflection in a broken mirror with missing pieces. There were events in his life that further fractured the mirror, but the most damage ever done was self-inflicted.

Randy learned from his father's friends early on that sexuality was between a man and a woman. He was expected to marry. Randy had affections for some women, but his sexual impulses seemed to be directed at males. This became an overwhelming problem when Randy enlisted to become a Marine. His feelings for another recruit were met with disgust, which caused his darkness to take over. Randy abandoned his post and served time in a military prison for it. When pressured by his family for answers, he told them his reason for leaving was due to intense hazing rituals. This answer was accepted and nothing more was said.

Attempting to repress his desires or redirect them at women led to more destruction. Randy developed a reputation for explosive outbursts. He was never physically violent to a woman, but his mouth got carried away many times and furniture got the brunt of his rage. He had trashed a few cars and he partied to the point where he was almost never home. He fooled around with men who were willing, but it served no purpose beyond a momentary escape.

Randy assumed his life was essentially over. No one would want a military dropout with a sketchy education, a history of drug and alcohol problems and an uncontrolled temper. He was convinced his darkness was some kind of a curse that plagued his every waking moment. One night, after a drug-fueled fit of desparation, Randy went to the business of a local psychic to ask for help in removing the curse.

"This is who you are, young man. It will serve a purpose in your future," she told him with dark eyes and a sinister smile.

He spouted profanities at her and left. He found her enigmatic words to be oddly prophetic, as several months later, his father encouraged him to take a chance with the wrestling industry.

When Randy first laid eyes on John Cena, he found him attractive, but he didn't like the _Man from Mass_ until a night out with the guys proved that Cena could drink anyone under the table.

There was also a mystery about John Cena that seemed to hook Randy by the heart and pull him in. Randy initially thought that he had John all figured out, but the more time he spent anywhere near Cena, the less he understood. John was constantly surprising him and leaving him wanting more. This made Randy frustrated, which turned into _pain_ , which slowly worked its way into _desire_.

One thing Randy found most interesting was that John treated him like a person, despite knowing Randy's failure with the military and his potential to overshadow Cena. The men still fought in and out of the ring, and there were times where Randy cursed the very life force that was John Cena, but nothing pushed him far enough away.

Randy found himself in John's orbit. Randy thought of him, fantasized about him; jerked off to his image. Randy could not admit to himself how much he wanted John. It was a game he played with his own mind in an attempt to convince himself that it was lust and nothing more.

The darkness rebelled. Randy's desire slowly formed into _obsession_. Talk of John's relationship with Elizabeth did nothing to ease Randy's suffering. He became more reckless to handle the strain, getting into bar fights and making impulsive decisions.

Randy's father tried to intervene. He told Randy that there were no other options if he ruined his chances with the wrestling industry. Randy was well aware of what he was giving up. He was in some way repeating the events of what happened during his military run. He could not seem to stop.

Then, Randy was called up.

He would be leaving Ohio Valley Wrestling and John Cena. The idea brought Randy anguish at first, but he managed to convince himself that time away from John would give him some breathing room. Randy could pursue someone else, forget _The Prototype_ and rise up through the ranks.

Randy received word just a short time later that John was moving up. There was not enough time to find a replacement, so Randy coped through the usual method of repressing his emotions. This brought the darkness out so strongly that someone else took notice.

Dave Batista.

Randy saw Batista as yet another escape route. Batista didn't seem to want anything in return beyond total control of Randy. At the time, this was an acceptable trade. Randy felt he had no control of himself and he didn't take Batista's need all that seriously. It was another game designed to keep Randy from acting out freely, and Batista was very good at keeping him restrained.

"Are you listening to me?" Batista barked.

Randy was drawn out of his thoughts more by necessity than obedience. Batista believed he had a very short leash around Orton. Randy let him believe that, if only to save himself from the relentless lectures.

"I am listening," Randy lied.

Batista scoffed and shook his head. He continued with a tone as though he knew best, "You never listen to me. That's why we're in this shit in the first place!"

Dave had a skill for spinning any situation into a personal insult. Although Randy's relationship with John could potentially affect Batista if it were found out, it was still a stretch to say that he was anywhere near the shit that Randy was in.

"What shit do you think we're in?" Randy asked.

He knew the answer, but he wanted Dave to say it out loud.

Batista slammed his palms against the steering wheel and nearly drove off the road as he yelled at the windshield, "THAT KISS BETWEEN YOU AND CENA!"

"I don't see you as the jealous type," Randy teased him, knowing full well it was the wrong response.

Batista hit the steering wheel a few more times. The car swerved on the road and a couple of cars blared their horns in protest as they passed. Batista threw them the finger and yelled at Randy some more, "You're making a mistake! He's going to end us! Can't you see that?!"

If someone were listening in on them, they might take Batista's words as a sign that he cared. Randy had spent more intimate time with his Evolution counterpart. He was more attuned to the levels of depravity that lived within Dave.

This was not a lecture. This was a _warning_.

"We're not exclusive! I can kiss Cena if I wanna kiss Cena! You're dating that chick now, anyhow," Randy countered.

Batista was quiet for a long time. When he did speak again, his tone was clipped.

"You're lucky we're on the highway, or I'd throw your ass out."

The threat was hollow to Randy's ears. He wasn't afraid of Dave Batista. The only one who could ever hurt Randy was himself.

But Batista could hurt John.

Randy considered his options and ultimately chose to relent. He swallowed hard and told Batista, "I didn't mean to make you mad."

"Really?! Because that's kind of what you're doing right now," Batista argued.

"How's your chick?" Orton asked.

"She's not a chick. She's a lady," Batista countered.

Randy pretended to listen while Batista carried on about why women should be treated with more respect. Randy spent the rest of the drive staring out the window and thinking of John.

Future Cena didn't seem to know anything about Randy's relationship with Batista. Randy wanted to keep it that way for as long as he could, but with Batista running his mouth, it would only be a matter of time.

Internally, Randy's darkness screamed.


	14. Chapter 14

14:

Elizabeth had known John Cena a long time.

They grew up going to the same schools, but John didn't really take notice until high school. He was playing football then and Elizabeth liked the popularity that came with being the girlfriend of a jock. John was also very social. He could blend in with almost any group. Elizabeth found his ability to be the life at parties to be one of his best traits.

She also saw another side to Cena. His walls were not as thick in high school, but it still took some time to really get close to him. Despite his open and socially acceptable nature, he kept his personal feelings inside of his own head most of the time. At first, Elizabeth thought that John was a typical Massachussetts male born in or around Boston: Known for their tenacity, loyalty and their ridiculously high pain tolerance rather than for their emotional range. John, like his brothers and his father, showed a high level of respect for difficult situations while using humor to alleviate the pressure. John was intelligent and had an extremely quick wit, another trait that garnered him social favor.

Elizabeth was not won over by John's wit like most others. She saw it as another barrier that kept John from truly expressing himself. There were times when she wanted a stronger response from him, but if the situation was too dire for humor, he would simply go quiet. The silence bothered Elizabeth even more. She would get angry because she didn't want to admit to herself that his lack of a response felt like little cuts across her skin.

John's obsessiveness for cleanliness was a trait that Elizabeth saw early on. After graduation, it was Elizabeth who pitched the idea they move in, together. John was incredulous, citing that his love for her was strong, but his desire for perfection may become a point of contention between the two. It took months of negotiation before John finally agreed.

Navigating his rigid structure was difficult at first, but Elizabeth found it easier when John started traveling more for wrestling. She no longer had to prepare his high protein meals for body building competitions and daily workout routines. He called her regularly and asked about the house. It seemed that the cleanliness was still on his mind even when he wasn't there. Elizabeth hired a team of cleaning ladies to make sure that it stayed immaculate.

Elizabeth enjoyed spending time with the Cena Family. They accepted her with open arms and she was often referred to by friends of the family as, "Missus John Cena." This label made her smile and gave her a sense of pride. Elizabeth wanted to be a Cena. She saw the potential in her boyfriend to make a stable life for them both. Even if wrestling didn't pan out for him, John had a college degree and he easily attained his goals. He was handsome, well-built and likeable. He came from an honorable family and he was careful with their finances. By all perceptions, he was a real catch.

But the wrestling industry was not kind to relationships. John was gone most of the time. When Elizabeth did get a chance to be with him, he was exhausted and thinking about what the next trip would bring. She found him to be distant when they went out to dinner. She tried to entice his attention by bringing up things that would frustrate him. She wanted to do some remodeling in the house. She wanted to travel more to see her friends who lived on the West Coast. She was thinking about marriage and children.

Her desires were not unreasonable. Elizabeth was a young woman with needs. She had been dating the same man for years and supporting his career choices. Although John had expressed that children was not on his mind, Elizabeth had seen his potential around other people's children and she was sure he would make a great father. Marriage was another permanent choice that John found undesirable. He wasn't afraid of commitment so much as he knew marriages didn't usually work for wrestlers. Elizabeth expressed understanding about this, though she had convinced herself that a wedding would happen once John was called up to the main roster and he was sure his career choice would pan out.

He worried a lot. Elizabeth saw it more than anyone else. John worried about his family and his friends. He worried about Elizabeth and their home. He worried about his choices and if they were the right ones. He worried about having job and financial security. He wanted to be a protector to those he loved and he carried the burden on his shoulders. He had a difficult time with change because he was always thinking of the many reasons it could go wrong.

Elizabeth also worried a lot. Her worry was based on the gossip she heard from other women who knew the wrestling industry better than she did. They whispered about groupies who stalked wrestlers for sex. The groupies were men as well as women. She heard rumors that gay sexuality was a taboo subject in the industry, but it still happened. They told her stories about blackmail and extortion. She heard stories of wrestlers being purposefully injured or even murdered to stop them from rising up.

She told herself that she wasn't a jealous person, but she was. Elizabeth had witnessed numerous women and men fawning over John. He was a brawny white male athlete with blue eyes and a dimpled smile. He liked his women short, cute and relentlessly tenacious. John was partial to the rebels who challenged him, which made it even harder for Elizabeth to believe that he would never give in to temptation.

There was something else that Elizabeth found concerning. It was something she had never discussed with John and he never brought it up. For as long as they had known each other, John never showed any bias when men gave him attention. Elizabeth thought it was just John's way of quietly supporting gay members of the community. He had a brother who was gay and John was open to the lifestyle choices of others so long as they were not harmful. As time went on, Elizabeth's perception began to shift. She saw a curiosity forming in John's expression. It started as a second glance or leaning in a little more. It slowly formed into John mentioning particular men more often, like he genuinely wondered what had become of them and why they hadn't informed him about it.

Elizabeth wasn't biased against gay men, but she didn't want to believe that her boyfriend was bisexual. It would mean changing her perspective of how John really worked. It would mean that marriage would be put off in order for him to explore this notion, should he decide to become more aware of it. Elizabeth was relieved when she first went to Ohio Valley Wrestling and John introduced her to much of the roster. He showed no keen interest in any of the men around him, including trainers and assistants.

She knew that John would be called up at some point. He was talented enough and Mr. McMahon was already showing a lot of interest. Elizabeth convinced herself that John's curiosity would be crushed once he was on the main roster. Gossip was a major sticking point in wrestling, and John would do whatever was necessary to keep his nose clean and avoid any setbacks. He wasn't the type to cause scandals.

There was only one man John brought up more than once. He wasn't a man that John liked, but more of a potential threat to John's future. Elizabeth had seen the two of them match up against one another in OVW. They had great chemistry as opponents. When John did mention the man, he spoke of him as a descendant of great wrestlers who had a natural talent that was impossible to teach. He spoke of the man as someone who could beat him on the rise to the top. He also spoke of the man as a self-destructive asshole who would more likely crash and burn on his own.

The man's name was Randy Orton, and he was a rebel who challenged John.

:-:

"Did you hear Batista is calling me disrespectful?" John told Randy as soon as he found him.

The show was over and the arena had gone dark. When it came to closing up for the night, some arenas were more prone to rushing talent out the door than others. It wasn't as prominent in the future, but Cena was reminded of the past when turning off the lights meant hit the bricks.

Randy glanced over his shoulder. He had a deep frown on his lips, but he said nothing and turned back to grab his gym bag. The locker room was quiet and John glanced around to make sure there were no other wrestlers to overhear him ragging on Batista. Their surroundings appeared to be empty.

Randy was dressed out in jeans and shoes but he left his t-shirt off. John thought this was an odd decision, but not a bad one. He gave Randy a once-over and asked, "Did you lose your shirt?"

He was teasing him, but Randy didn't seem to be in the mood for games. He lifted his bag over his good shoulder and said, "We should go."

"Why? Is Batista still around?" John asked.

He was still trying to joke, but Randy snapped at him, "Enough with that shit!"

John put his hands up in defeat, but he had a wry grin on his face like he wasn't planning on being completely serious. Randy threw his gym bag against the lockers. It made a loud CLANG and thudded against the floor. Randy came right up to John's face and screamed at him, "You know why he's pissed at you?!"

The closeness made John's features blur against Randy's rage-filled vision. John took a step back and replied softly, "Because I kissed you."

For several long seconds, the only sound in the room came from Randy's heaving chest. He resembled a gorilla attempting to establish dominance. His anger subsided slowly as he repeated thickly, "Because you kissed me."

Randy collapsed on the nearby bench and put his face in his hands. He looked legitimately defeated in a way that sent John's head spinning with a series of questions and observations. John chose to ask the most obvious one, "What did Batista say when he rode with you?"

When Randy removed his hands from his face, he kept his eyes on the floor and replied, "He's telling me to stay away from you."

"Do you want me to stay away from you?" John asked.

Randy's gaze lifted up to find John's. He answered with certainty, "No."

John considered why Randy was taking the situation so seriously. John stated his conclusion out loud, "You think he'll go after me instead of you."

Randy nodded. There was a moment where John's mind came up with a reason for Batista's hold over Randy. John wasn't going to say it out loud, but he couldn't help asking, "Is Batista your ex?"

Orton set his jaw. He seemed frustrated and almost ashamed to hear the words. He answered after a long silence, "He's not my ex. We were never dating."

"Just sex," John did not say it like a criticism.

Randy shook his head and confessed, "You don't understand how bad I want you, John. I'm infected. I thought I could pass it on to someone else and be rid of it."

John countered quickly, "And you couldn't pick a lesser asshole than Dave?"

Randy stood up straight and shouted angrily, "Why you gotta do that?! Why is everything a big joke to you?!"

"It's not," John replied calmly.

Randy rushed at him. John braced himself, expecting Randy to wrestle him to the ground so he could kick his ass. Instead, Randy slammed John's body against the lockers and mashed their lips together.

The kiss was wet and sloppy and completely unexpected. John felt the instinct to push Randy away. He didn't like being caught so off-guard in such a vulnerable position. He placed his hands on Randy's chest just as Randy brought his left hand down the front of John's jeans.

Some laughter from the hallway brought the two men to a complete stop. John was suddenly exposed to the cold and stale locker room air after being immersed in Randy's body heat. John wiped the saliva from his lips and blinked a few times to remind himself of where he was. He stared at Randy with a sense of surrealism, like the two were in an erotic dream being conjured in someone else's mind.

Footsteps followed the laughter as two people engaged in conversation continued down the hallway. They passed the locker room door but didn't walk in. Randy and John waited until the sounds had long since faded away.

"You're the asshole," Randy accused him.

John replied with a chuckle, "You've got me there."


	15. Chapter 15

15:

Paul Levesque was a man of means.

He saw change as something that was inevitable, and he kept up with in any way that he could. Paul discovered early on in his life that most men were afraid of change, or denied that it was coming. Older men tended to dig their heels in more deeply to avoid the tides of change. Never once did Paul see any man succeed in holding their ground.

This ability to adapt gave him an unexpected advantage: Luck. He had a natural ability for being able to seize opportunities and make the most out of whatever he had. It helped that he looked like the legendary Thor and his New Hampshire upbringing helped him to fit in with the upper crust of society. It felt like he came from money, so that's how he presented himself.

Paul took an interest in bodybuilding, which led him to wrestling, which led him to Stephanie. He believed that he fell in love with her the moment he saw her, and that would count for something. His friends told him he would never have her. She was the daughter of the boss. Her family had close connections with billionaires, influential political figures and talented artists that had so much more to offer than a wrestler who was one injury away from the end of his career.

These truths were not lost on Paul. He understood them, but he wanted Stephanie, and luck was on his side. Their decision to date in secret at first kept the rumor mill going strong. The roster believed it was done to keep Vince from finding out and making Paul literally kiss his ass on live TV. The truth of the matter was that Paul was fresh from his breakup with Joan Laurer, also known as _Chyna_. He believed that somehow he was sparing Joan's feelings by telling her after things between Stephanie showed signs of promise.

Joan ultimately found out in the worst way: From colleagues on the roster who found out through the rumor mill. She was dealt a shit hand, and Paul knew it. Joan was furious with him, believing that her job and her future were on the line because her ex-boyfriend was dating the daughter of the boss. At the time, Paul thought that it would all work out. He reassured Joan that her job was not on the line.

He underestimated a woman _scorned_.

There were a number of fights, but the last time he saw Joan, she was more heartbroken than anything. Joan insisted that Paul had cheated on her and keeping his plans with Stephanie a secret was done to spite her. Joan hated Paul, and Stephanie hated Joan. Paul was forced to decide between the two, and he chose Stephanie. Joan left the company, claiming during interviews that it was because she wanted to be an actress and not because of the breakup. Paul knew the truth, and it left him wondering why she didn't drag his name through the mud.

He and Stephanie became more serious as time passed. They felt meant for each other. Even Vince made it a point to compliment Paul in a way that only a McMahon could, "You're not the worst choice my daughter could have made!"

Paul found himself adapting to the McMahon lifestyle. Private jets, unlimited drinks, political events and business meetings. He was more interested in the business aspect of wrestling. If he could integrate that knowledge, he could potentially secure a future within the company after retiring from wrestling. Vince even talked about having Paul retire early, but he was still a top-card player and he liked his job.

So, Vince found something for Paul to do in the meantime: Train a couple of newbies with huge potential. Paul was up for the challenge. He knew how hard it was to make it in the business. He was paired up with Ric Flair, someone he already considered a friend. Paul met Dave Batista in person. His initial perception was that Dave reminded him of a loudmouth version of Bill Goldberg. Paul knew that a big mouth could be a problem in the business, but if Dave was willing to listen as much as he talked, he could build a memorable character.

Paul was told about Randy joining the group. The prospect of a generational wrestler was huge. Paul knew Cowboy Bob and he saw a very young Randy many times backstage. Paul felt that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to train the son of a legend in the business. Paul drove to Ohio Valley Wrestling and watched a few of Randy's matches from the back of the room. Randy had amazing natural talent. It was undeniable. He had the mannerisms and he had the body to be a wrestler. His skills on the microphone needed some work, but a quiet wrestler could be just as effective given the right circumstances.

There was the issue of Randy's temper. Paul was aware of it. He had heard the stories about Randy being in military prison. He was rebellious, to stay the least. Even his trainers at OVW were forewarning Paul, "He's a hot head. You'll have to keep him in line."

Paul was up to the challenge. He would teach the boy to become a man. If Randy really wanted it, he would stick with it. What Paul didn't anticipate was Randy's obsession with John Cena, another potentially huge talent. Vince told Paul that Cena may be paired up with Kurt Angle. Paul thought this was an odd choice at the time, but no one questioned Vince's choices. What eventually happened was Cena went up _against_ Kurt Angle, and Paul saw for himself that _The Kid_ had a great deal of heart, just like someone else Paul knew: _The Heartbreak Kid_.

At first, Paul took Randy's conflict with Cena to be an overzealous competitive drive. Randy had lost to John's alter ego, _The Prototype_ , at several OVW events. John was a great technical wrestler, and he was even better on the microphone. Paul was absolutely sure that Randy had nothing to worry about. A babyface from Boston could never truly beat a legacy with a natural talent for wrestling.

The night and day between Randy and John would make for great matches. Paul could see that early on. What he couldn't see was why Randy was so obsessed with John. Paul began to notice similarities between Randy's expressions and Joan's. Paul was reminded of Joan's bitter feelings over not being chosen. Paul began to suspect a possible love triangle between the two men and a woman, but inquiries to fellow roster members told him that Cena had a long-term relationship with Elizabeth, a woman who seemed to have no ties to Randy.

The more Paul observed Randy, the more he saw a desire that had very little to do with compeition. Paul struggled to believe this revelation. Being gay in the industry was like wearing a target on your back. Some roster members would beat you down for it. Vince was particularly biased about the subject. Those who lived through the AIDS outbreak in the 80's and early 90's were victims of misinformation and preconceived notions. Randy would not have a future if word got out.

"So he's gay? So what?" Ric Flair responded to Paul's concerns with a wave of his hand a huge helping of alcohol.

Ric had made a career out of being a pretty boy. He seemed to think that Randy could do something similar to hide who he really was. Paul wanted to believe that Ric was right. Flair lived through a time in wrestling when heels had to worry about not getting stabbed by a fan while trying to leave the ring. Paul decided to capitalize on Randy's craving for John. Make Randy an ultimate heel with a chip on his shoulder and he would be guaranteed a lifelong career.

But it wasn't that easy. Paul could see that Batista was catching on to the chaos. Batista was not highly intelligent, but he was street smart. Paul considered a new plan to keep Batista away, but something changed before he could. Batista and Randy started spending a great deal of time, together. They were getting along very well. This played out well in the ring, where Randy and Batista had to work as a team.

Paul suspected that the two were more than just friends, but Paul was more concerned about making sure he was keeping the ratings up. If Vince saw that he was doing a good job, Paul would be in the good graces of the McMahons, which would all but guarantee his future with Stephanie. All he needed to do was make sure that Randy didn't blow everything up for the sake of his obsession.

He underestimated a man _torn asunder_.

:-:

"Stop," John whispered, but he didn't really want it to.

He was sitting in Randy's lap. They were in Randy's hotel room and the early morning hours were creeping by. Randy was sitting against the headboard and John was trying to rest his head on Randy's chest. For some reason, Randy kept running his fingertips along the backs of John's ears. It made a ticklish sensation that was both arousing and irritating. John kept brushing Randy's hands away, so he would wait a minute or so and do it, again.

"Is this a Southern thing?" John stated jokingly.

"No," Randy replied thickly, "I just like your ears."

John lifted his head to look the other man in the eyes as he retorted loudly, "These flappers?! You could practically string them up and sail to Great Britain!"

He flicked his own ears just to make the point. Randy laughed out loud and replied, "You're so much smarter than me. You call it Great Britain instead of England."

John told him with a shrug, "You can still call it England. I won't think you're stupid for it."

Randy reached for his ears, again, saying, "Come here. Let me see you."

John leaned forward so that Randy could run his fingers along the backs of his ears and over his scalp. The feeling of Randy's fingertips along his skin had a calming effect on him. Whenever Randy's fingertips crossed the spot at the top of his head near the back, John was reminded that he would soon be going bald in that area. It was a spot that he would become extremely vain about, investing in baseball caps to cover it. This choice would prove to be a good business venture, as his fans would buy his line of C-Nation caps for years to come.

"What are you thinking about?" Randy asked.

John's head was still forward and he was looking down at Randy's exposed cock. Both men were naked, a decision that wasn't made deliberately by either one of them. John thought that Randy would be the one to take advantage of the openness, but Orton was proving to be more withdrawn than usual.

"I was thinking about my hair," John stated truthfully.

Randy grunted and replied, "The hair on your head, or the hair on your balls?"

It was John's turn to laugh out loud. Randy kissed the top of his head while John moved forward to sit up and come back down in a better position. He had been sitting on his knees for a while and his feet were falling asleep. John liked it when Randy kissed him so subtly, but he thought that mentioning it aloud might spook the Missourian back into silence, so John said nothing.

"Your hair is nice. It's short, but it's soft," Randy told him, brushing his fingers along the line of hair at the forefront of John's head.

The line at the front was slightly longer than the rest. This was to create a spiking effect that was popular for the time. John would later regret the look because he thought it made him appear juvenile.

"You're always lost in that head of yours," Randy said, taking his hands from John's head to his hips.

Randy splayed his hands over John's hips and a portion of his backside. The move was simple and unassuming, but John felt it as if Randy had kissed him deeply.

John let out a sigh and replied, "I'm from the future. There's a lot to think about."

"You think you're making a mistake?" Randy asked seriously.

John shook his head and replied, "It's not like that. I just...I have nothing to compare this to. We didn't do this the first time around."

Randy nodded, but John could tell he didn't fully understand. Cena tried to clarify, "I'm not saying I'm unhappy with it, I'm just saying I don't know where this is going."

"I don't, either," Randy mentioned.

John had not considered this. The Randy he was facing was just as in the dark as he was, despite John having more than ten years of experience on him.

"What are you thinking about, now?" Randy asked.

Instead of answering, John leaned in and kissed Randy's lips.


	16. Chapter 16

16:

"You know what this is, John! You know what it means!"

Nikki folded her arms and gave John her most venomous glare. She was serious. Dead serious.

He had already proposed to her. She wanted to be married. She also wanted children. That was something he wouldn't budge on.

They stared at one another for the longest time. John couldn't come up with the words. He loved her like no one else he had ever loved, but as fate would have it, they didn't have the same future in mind.

"I can't," John choked back tears.

He knew what he was giving up. He knew that it would never come, again. Nikki turned on her red designer heels and walked out the door. It was the last time he would see her outside of a professional environment. She would be back for her things, but it would be while he was gone.

John's heart felt like it might explode inside his chest. He went to his gym room and tried to work out his feelings, but it wasn't helping.

He loved her...and he _lost_ her.

:-:

"Have you ever fucked a guy, before?" John asked curiously.

He and Randy had been exploring one another and making out between conversation for hours. They didn't have to be on the road early this time. John could easily miss a few days of sleep, but he knew Randy was one of those wrestlers who napped during downtime.

"There were a few guys. I mean, before Batista..." Randy trailed off.

John's eyes widened with surprise. He hadn't considered Batista.

"He liked that, I guess?" John asked.

Randy looked away as he nodded. He seemed ashamed to detail his relationship with Batista, perhaps because it was a means to forget John.

"You want me to show you?" Randy's gaze came back to meet John's.

"Is it painful? It sounds painful," John asked more to tease Randy than anything.

"Not if you do it right...or if you like pain," Randy remarked with a lifted brow.

John chuckled. His eyes wandered over Randy's face and across his chest, then down to his member. John imagined what it would feel like to have an erection in his backside. _Exciting? Arousing? Ridiculous?_

"I have lube. I could stretch you out with my fingers. It's not bad," Randy reassured him.

John couldn't wipe the grin from his face. He was kind of embarrassed, but very curious at the same time. Randy reached between John's legs and touched the skin just behind his balls. John flinched and Randy pulled him in closer with his free hand. Randy whispered to him, "I'll make you feel good."

John took Randy's lips and they made out some more. John rolled over on his back and Randy got out of bed to get some lube and a box of condoms from his bag. Randy threw them on the bed. John glanced at the box of condoms and stated dryly, "You think you're getting _that_ lucky?"

"If I play my cards right," Randy grinned wickedly.

:-:

"You're being a dumb bitch!" John yelled.

He regretted the words as soon as he said them. He was normally so composed, the walls surrounding him high enough that he never let anyone get to him. He thought he was so controlled and so careful. He usually had plenty of time to think before he spoke because his mind worked very fast.

Elizabeth was almost in tears, but it wasn't from sadness. She was _**enraged**_.

"I hate you! I hate you and everything you stand for!" Elizabeth was screaming so loudly that her voice was threatening to break apart completely.

John chuckled. He knew it was the wrong reaction, but this fight was getting nowhere. This was one of many fights they were having, lately. They were ignited by the tiniest of sparks and exploded into months of warfare. It didn't matter if John was on the road. He and Liz would yell at each other over the phone or text passive aggressive conversations that dragged on for much too long. When he was home, they were constantly on edge.

"I don't know why I married you!" Elizabeth screamed, turning on her designer beige heels and storming out of the room.

John stood there, speechless. He couldn't remember for the life of him how things had gotten so bad. He used to love this woman. He used to want to spend as much time with her as possible. He thought being married would help them to being their future, but he was seeing the walls coming down around him as plainly as if they were made of sand.

"What have I done?" John muttered out loud.

:-:

Randy groaned as he leaned forward to get a better rhythm. He gazed down at John with an expression like he was looking at the most beautiful person in the world. John had geen given similar faces from others, but this was different. He liked what he was _seeing_. He liked what he was _feeling_.

John could feel Randy inside of him. It wasn't like he thought at all. He was expecting discomfort with insertion. He didn't even know that the two men could be facing one another.

John splayed his hands over Randy's double jointed shoulders. He could feel the muscles and tensions moving in sync with Randy's thrusts. John could hear Randy muttering things to him, but they weren't quite audible. Orton's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and John started to feel a striking sensation of his own.

:-:

"Maybe you should get a hobby," CM Punk told John from the passenger seat.

"A hobby?" John frowned and acted like he didn't get the meaning.

He and Punk were on their way to the next arena. John had offered to give the other man a ride in exchange for Punk lending a sympathetic ear to his plight.

"Divorce isn't that big a deal. What guys say afterwards is that they've got this hole to fill. They need to know that they're still relevant. Some of the guys I know, they end up in trouble. You don't need to be in trouble," Punk stated.

John knew he was right. There was a nervous energy that kept coming up since Liz served him papers. John thought it was emotional, something that he needed to rub off by working out and working hard in the ring. He was going on tour so regularly that even Vince was telling him to take a little more time off.

"A hobby," John said.

"Besides wrestling," Punk replied, making John chuckle.

:-:

"What'd you think?" Randy asked.

Both men were spent after the third time. The sun was trying to peek through the curtains. Randy had ordered room service for breakfast. John got out of bed to shower. He glanced back at Randy and asked, "You coming?"

:-:

"Your wife will think we were having an affair this whole time," Nikki stated.

She had a serious look on her face, but the corners of her ruby red lips were turned up in a sinister smile. She liked making it hard for John to tell whether she was joking or not. He smiled back at her and said, "Ex-wife."

"Oh, yeah," Nikki rolled her eyes and waved the correction away.

She took another sip of wine and cast a quick glance over the other tables at the restaurant. It was an expensive place and reservations were taken months in advance. John knew it was worth the wait. He wanted to make sure that when he took Nikki Bella out for the first time, she would know the true meaning of being wined and dined.

"This place is nice," Nikki said, pointing at the port just a few yards away.

"It's Beantown," John told her proudly.

"Beantown? I thought this was Boston," Nikki argued.

She wasn't the brightest color of the rainbow, but she was gorgeous as hell and John wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

"Beantown is a nickname for Boston," John told her with an affectionate smile.

"Why? Boston sounds better," Nikki pointed out.

John laughed out loud. This woman had so much tenacity that she was arguing with him about the nickname of his hometown. He smelled amazing and she kept grazing his leg with her heel from under the table.

"You make me laugh. You're too much fun," John told her.

"Just you wait," Nikki shot him a devilish look.

:-:

"How many hours until we get there?" Randy asked.

John was checking a paper map. It was still hard for him not to have access to GPS, which would've given them an approximate time frame.

"I don't know. Maybe eight hours?" John guessed.

Randy scoffed and replied, "I guess we'll get there when we get there."

John put the map down and Randy drove up the ramp to the interstate. Randy put on some rock music and John chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Randy asked.

"I prefer Country music," John mentioned.

Randy snorted and shook his head. John asked him, "What?"

"You can't like Country music while you're with me. I'll kick your ass," Randy told him.

John made a wry grin and replied, "You seem to be able to do a lot more to my ass than kick it."

Randy gave him a once-over and concluded, "That's true."


	17. Chapter 17

17:

"You been here long?"

Stephanie McMahon glanced up from her seat on the concrete steps. John Cena was looking down at her with a tired, knowing smile. This section of the arena was quiet. The others were gearing up for the show in a few hours. She patted the spot next to her on the step and answered his question, "It feels like forever."

He sat down on the step just behind her, the bulk of his well-built physique taking up so much room that he didn't think he would fit next to her. Stephanie turned around to face John and she leaned back against the concrete wall of the stadium. John put his hands together and they watched each other a moment, as if the two would melt away should they begin speaking their truth.

"You're not from here, are you," John said it more like a statement than a question.

He already knew the truth. She was Stephanie from the future. _His_ stephanie, or at least somewhere within the same time frame as he. Her eyes gave it away. She looked like she was constantly searching for something that wasn't _here_.

"Neither are you," she made a wry half-smile.

He chuckled. There was a long space of silence between them before Stephanie asked, "What brings you here?"

John replied with a shrug, "Love."

Stephanie nodded knowingly. The Stephanie that John knew was well aware of his tumultuous relationships. She came to him after his divorce from Liz was announced. She was there for him when his breakup with Nikki was looking to be a sure thing. Stephanie played off as the bad bitch on camera, the one who was at the top of the food chain, but she knew the hearts and minds of her co-workers and she truly cared about their well-being.

"Nikki isn't in this timeline, though. She won't be around for a few years," John reminded her.

Stephanie nodded and furrowed her brow as she tried to put the pieces together. John didn't quite feel the need to tell her that his love story involved Randy Orton, though he knew her well enough to believe that she would figure it out on her own at some point.

"I've met someone else. Someone I knew, before. I always thought Nikki was the one, but she's not even here and I'm supposed to marry Elizabeth in..."

John checked his watch. Stephanie chuckled.

"About seven years from now," John shrugged.

Stephanie chuckled, again. It was all they could do not to lose their minds in all the chaos. John took the focus off himself by asking, "What brings you here?"

She glanced up at him. Her smile had faded, somewhat. She had a sad look in her eyes as she mentioned, "You look so different. So much younger than I remember you."

"Better looking?" John cracked a devilish grin.

"Yes, but...not what I remember...or what I know you will be..." Stephanie closed her eyes for a moment.

John let Stephanie ponder her thoughts in silence. When she opened her eyes once more, she answered his first question, "Same as you. I'm here for love."

John was perplexed. Stephanie read it on his face and confessed, "Paul and I were fighting a lot, recently...or in the future. It seems really trivial, now..."

She closed her eyes again and took in a deep breath before continuing, "I said some things to him I didn't mean. He said things to me he didn't mean. I was angry and I drove off alone at night. I had been thinking, lately...or in the future...I was thinking about this period of time, or a little bit earlier...when I saw potential in someone else...another man."

"I thought you and Paul were soulmates," John said quietly.

Stephanie opened her eyes and shook her head as she clarified, "It wasn't like that. I wasn't thinking that I wanted to leave Paul for someone else. I have never regretted any decision I've made with him. The man I saw potential with, the man I was thinking of...he's dead in our future."

"I see," John nodded.

Stephanie looked up at him and explained, "I was just thinking about what might have been if I had taken a different path. I wasn't serious about it. I was driving and thinking and then I was back at my old house in the past..."

She smiled at John. He nodded that he understood as he replied, "I was in Boston, drinking myself stupid while I tried to figure out why the hell I'm so good at fucking things up."

"You're not," Stephanie put a hand on his knee.

John sighed and went on, "I thought about dying, Steph. I really thought about it. I was stumbling around, hoping something would happen and I could be lifted out of my misery, and then I was here."

"You weren't driving?" Stephanie asked.

"Stumbling and bumbling down the sidewalk," John replied.

She made an odd expression and nodded. John asked out of curiosity, "Do you mind telling me who you were thinking about? The man with potential?"

With a shrug of her shoulders, Stephanie answered, "I never thought it would really work, you know? I saw something in him, but he didn't see it in himself. After he died, I...I was really broken up, but I pretended I wasn't. I don't know why. I guess I wanted to believe that it didn't affect me that much, that I didn't feel for him that much. It's weird, knowing what I know, and being in this timeline. This specific year. He's dating Stacy Keibler, and he will be for a while. Why did I come, now?"

A light bulb went off in John's head.

"Andy Martin," he said.

Stephanie nodded and added softly, "Test and I had a short thing just before I started my life with Paul. It was nothing, really. A couple of dates. We had real chemistry on-screen, of course. It just never developed into anything. I think he really wanted it to, but I had my sights set on Paul. Whatever could have been became an afterthought. He stayed with Stacy and I married Paul."

"How do you know that's why you're here? To reunite with Test?" John asked.

Stephanie looked away and replied, "I guess I don't know for sure, but I feel it. Somewhere inside, I feel it. I keep seeing him around and I want to grab him and scream, 'You're going to die! Take care of yourself or you're going to die!'"

John nodded with understanding and added, "I feel the same way about Eddie. I want to tell Edge his neck will retire him early. I want to tell Randy the pills will almost take him, as well. Then there's-"

"Chris," John and Stephanie stated together.

Tears formed in Stephanie's eyes as she remembered, "Benoit's story changes everything."

"I know," John replied.

There was another long pause before Stephanie looked up at him and asked, "Do you think I'm supposed to change history? Go with Andrew instead of Paul?"

"I don't know," John answered, then he relayed his own dilemma, "If I break up with Elizabeth and I pursue a different future, I may never have time with Nikki at all. It means I'm also changing the future of the one I think I'm meant to be with, and that would mean they may never meet their spouses, or have their children."

Stephanie took in a shrill breath and closed her eyes. Tears streamed slowly down her cheeks. She opened her eyes again and John said, "You miss your babies."

"I do. So much," Stephanie replied.

She took in a deeper breath and continued, "I keep thinking about them. If I have a future with Test, will my girls be born with him, or not at all? Would they be born to the woman Paul chooses to be with? Then there's always the question of Test's future. Even if we are together and we're happy and it's meant to be, he could still die the same way. If by some miracle he didn't, I know from his future autopsy that he had extensive brain damage from his time in the ring. He may stay alive with me, only to die a more horrible death later on."

Stephanie came up to sit closer to John so she could put her head on his shoulder and sob. He hugged her close and quietly shed a few tears of his own. He thought his own situation was heartbreaking, but he did not have to deal with the knowledge of when and how Randy would die.

When Stephanie was finished, she wiped away her tears and collected herself. She looked at John and told him softly, "I used to worry about my babies. I thought they might be missing me, in the future, I mean. I've been gone for what seems like a long time. I decided to start thinking of time as more fluid than that. I imagine that it's only been a few minutes in their time and they don't even know I'm gone. That way, I don't have to picture their terrified expressions as they're told that Mommy disappeared and never came back to them."

Stephanie stifled more tears and closed her eyes. John held her close for support. She swallowed down her sadness and asked him, "Do you know what will happen? If we choose to change the future, will we have to live another life all over again, or will we go back to a changed world?"

"I don't know," John shook his head.

Stephanie looked him in the eyes and asked, "Do you think you'll be happier? If you choose a new path with the one you're meant to be with this time around, I mean?"

"I want to say yes, but I truly have no idea," John answered.


	18. Chapter 18

18:

John struggled to make it through the next event.

He was reeling after talking to Stephanie. She was the only other person he had encountered who had come from the future, although the circumstances surrounding her transition were much different. She also seemed to share the same doubts and concerns about what kind of a butterfly effect could occur based on each decision made in the past. John found some temporary solace in knowing that he was not alone, but hearing the consequences out loud made him all the more nervous about what his future may hold.

Or if he should ever get back to it.

John met up with Randy as soon as he could. They walked to Randy's SUV in silence. Randy finally spoke when they were leaving the arena, "What's up with you?"

"I found someone else. Someone like me," John said.

Randy furrowed his brow with a sense of confusion. John clarified, "Another time traveler. Stephanie."

"Ohhhhh," Randy dragged it out like something was clicking inside his head.

"You knew?" John asked curiously.

Randy shrugged and shook his head, answering, "I didn't think she was like you, but she's been a lot different, lately."

"With Paul, you mean?" John asked.

"Yeah," Randy nodded his head.

John stared out the window for a moment while Randy maneuvered through some tricky roads to get to the main highway. It was late, but the next arena was close and it made more sense to make the drive by night.

"You having second thoughts?" Randy asked, sounding oddly forgiving.

John shook his head and let out a long sigh. He replied after putting some thought into it, "If I were told that we were meant to be together at any other time in my life, I would've brushed it off. Now, it seems like there's something between us, a connection that I can't deny, but...I know what our futures used to be like, and I don't know if I have the right to interfere with that."

"Am I happy?" Randy asked.

"Happy?" John returned the question.

"You said I get married. Am I happy?" Randy asked.

John hesitated for a moment before he answered, "The second time, yes. I think so."

Randy frowned as he asked, "So, I really didn't tell you how I felt? Not even a little bit?"

John shook his head and replied, "If you did, I wasn't aware of it."

The two men were silent for a long time before Randy asked, "Do you want to let go of me?"

John turned to face him and asked, "What do you mean?"

Randy shrugged and replied, "If you think that being together with fuck up my future, then why bother?"

John braced himself for another blow-up, but instead, Randy was thoughtful and quiet as he explained, "We haven't done that much, yet. I've fucked you once and no one even really knows about it. Batista and Paul are suspicious, but they aren't ready to throw you out, yet. If you want to break apart, I get it. You still have time to keep the future the way you remember it. Maybe, if you go back, you can talk to me. Maybe I'll remember this."

John hadn't considered the idea that future Randy may be impacted by what had already transpired in the alternate timeline. There was also the consideration that John may not return to his future, and he would live out the next ten-plus years with the same Randy sitting beside him.

"I don't know if I want to break up," John stated thickly.

Randy glanced at him and John could see tears forming in his eyes. Orton seemed afraid to ask, "What happens if you stay?"

"I don't know. It would mean that the future would change, absolutely, but I've already changed the future just by being here."

Randy nodded and asked, "You want to know what I think?"

"Please," John answered.

"I think I want you to stay, no matter the consequences," Randy answered.

:-:

Randy and John spent hours, together. They had already agreed to stay together, but it felt more like a good-bye to John than anything else. He kept looking into Randy's eyes and wondering what the other man was thinking. Would some part of him miss the daughters he never knew? Would he live to regret choosing John? Did Randy know how selfish John's decision to be with him truly was?

Orton had no memory of his potential future, which kept him blissfully unaware of the consequences. He seemed to only want John in this moment. If there was any doubt that would eventually cross his mind, John could not read it in his eyes.

Randy fell asleep, first. John contemplated while the sun rose up through the window beside him. He thought about how he would have to tell Elizabeth it was over. It seemed easy enough because he had already done it in the future, but that time had left him a broken man. They weren't married this time around, and there were a lot less fights between them. She deserved to know why, and John would have to be honest with her.

John also considered that, if his job continued with the WWE and he stayed in this timeline, he would eventually meet Nikki once more. She would have no memory of their relationship. Would she still be drawn to him? Would he still be drawn to her? Would he eventually forget everything that he knew and it wouldn't matter at all?

He closed his eyes in a state of complete uncertainty. The only thing he knew for sure was that he wanted to be with Randy, wherever that road may take him.

:-:

"John? John, can you hear me?"

Cena opened his eyes to see Randy looking over him.

He blinked a few times to register that this was not young Randy, but the _older_ one.

"Randy?" John croaked, his mouth dry.

"Some help?!" Randy waved someone over.

John shifted his body and realized he was lying in bed. A taller man in a physician's coat and thin glasses came over and asked softly, "Are you alright, Mr. Cena?"

"Yeah, I..." John winced.

His body was in a lot of pain. He felt the old injuries from age and time that he had nearly forgotten about. The air smelled different and his eyes were under onslaught from the bright LED overhangs.

"Mr. Cena, I'm Doctor Roland. You were inebriated and suffered a terrible fall. We were unsure whether you would regain consciousness or not. How are you feeling?"

John closed his eyes and pondered his answer.

"I feel like shit," he decided.

He kept his eyes closed while the doctor explained, "You're very fortunate, Mr. Cena. Your friend, Mr. Orton, told me you called him just before your fall. He was able to find you and call for help. If it weren't for him, you may not have survived."

"What year is this?" John slowly opened his eyes.

He was looking at Randy, but the doctor interjected before Randy could speak, "You don't know what year it is?!"

The doctor sounded alarmed, so John quickly countered, "I had a dream that I was at an event back in two-thousand and two. I was better looking and in a lot less pain."

A short chuckle came from the doctor as he replied with a sense of relief, "Right, well, it's two-thousand and nineteen. The pain you're feeling should subside in a few days."

"What about the looks, Doc?" John joked dryly.

Randy snorted and rolled his eyes from the end of the bed. John made an airy chuckle. The doctor tried to be more serious as he explained, "I'm keeping you another night for observation. Rest as much as you can, and call the nurse if you need anything."

Dr. Roland pointed to a dry erase board on the far wall that had a list of the nurses and other staff working that particular shift. John noticed a clock above the board that told him it was the early afternoon.

When he looked back, Dr. Roland was gone.

John looked at Randy and opened his mouth to say something, but the door burst open and John's entire family came rushing through. His mother was hugging him and his brothers were trying to outdo one another with quick-witted jokes about John not being able to hold his liquor.

He wasn't really listening, though. He was watching Randy quietly leave the room.

:-:

John's family stayed until visiting hours were over. Randy didn't come back.

Cena tried gathering bits and pieces from his family without being overly obvious. He asked simple questions and listened to the various answers he received. He learned that he was still wresting with WWE, but he was semi-retired because he was supposed to be filming another movie, soon. He learned that Nikki Bella was dating a guy named, "Artem Chig-vint-something-or-what-not," Sean said when he tried to read the name from his phone.

John could not ask outright if he dated Nikki or not, but his family didn't seem to react much to questions about her. He assumed that he hadn't dated her in this timeline because it was the breakup with her that caused him to go out and drink, and his mother would've given him a long lecture about not being more responsible.

The new reason for his drinking did not come up in conversation, though something was mentioned about Randy's daughter, Alanna.

John swallowed hard. Matt brought up Alanna's name in passing when Momma Carol said something about Randy's family going to an event the following month. John noticed that nothing was said about Randy's current wife, Kimberly Kessler. In fact, Randy's name was tossed around between John's family several times, but nothing was said about Samantha or Kimberly.

"Randy came all this way to see me?" John whispered to Carol while his father and brothers worked to get the TV on a sports channel.

"Of course he did, dear! Why wouldn't he?" Carol looked at John as if it were strange to ask.

John nodded and replied, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm just really tired."

With that, Carol rounded up the others and told them to leave. She stayed behind to help John order dinner from the hospital menu and she made sure he was comfortable before Carol took her leave.

John watched the TV for a while. The sports channel was showing a basketball game and it gave John some relief to see that it was in high definition with modern statistics and replays.

He was back in the year that he left, and everything seemed to look the same.

John started crying at some point. He didn't really know what was provoking the quiet tears to fall, but he let his emotions determine how long they would continue. He was alone save for a nurse walking in every half hour or so to check on him. After about four times of this, they turned out the light to his room and John closed his eyes to sleep.

:-:

John woke up to the sound of soft rustling.

He was still in the hospital room. A light was on in the corner and John saw Randy leaning over a chair that had a duffle bag on it. Randy was rifling through the bag when he glanced over at John.

"I brought something for you," Randy said.

John glanced at the clock. It was the early morning hours and the dawn was only just peeking in through the windows. Randy calmly made his way over and handed John a blue notebook. John took it and Randy found a chair to sit down by John's bed.

John put the notebook in his lap. He used his dominant left hand to open it and he read the first page. It was a list of dates and notes written in Randy's handwriting that began in 2002.

Randy took John's right hand and held it. John read a few pages before he fully understood what the contents of the notebook were meant to tell him.

"You filled in the gaps," John said.

He looked at Randy. He saw the love in the other man's eyes just like before, only it had grown and matured over time. Randy kissed the back of John's hand and told him softly, "I was with you that last night years ago, when you said you wanted to be with me. When I woke up the next morning, you were gone. I found you, but you were back to the way you used to be. You were the _other_ John."

John choked back tears while Randy continued, "You weren't completely the same, though. You and I became close. You broke it off with Elizabeth. I waited for a few years. I kept thinking you might remember, but you didn't. I found Sam and we had Alanna. She divorced me. You told me I would be married again, but I didn't want to be. I was still waiting for you."

John had already established from his family that he never dated Nikki, so he had to ask, "Did I find someone else?"

"Nothing serious," Randy shook his head.

John let out a sigh of relief. Randy chuckled and went on, "I kept a journal of all the things I thought might be important to you, should you ever come back to me. I wasn't sure if you ever would. I told your mom how I felt about you. She didn't understand, but Stephanie did."

"Is Steph back from the past?" John asked.

Randy shook his head and replied, "I can't say for sure. You'll have to ask her."

"Is she still with Paul?" John asked.

"Yeah," Randy nodded.

"And Test died of an overdose?" John asked.

Randy shook his head and replied, "No. He died in a car accident around two thousand five."

"What happened that landed me in the hospital?" John asked.

Randy cleared his throat and explained, "You were planning on retiring from wrestling. I wasn't going to see you so much. I came to tell you how I felt and you didn't take it so well, I guess."

John replied with a shrug, "Well, I got drunk and fell down. I didn't punch you in the face, so that's a pretty good outcome."

Randy shook his head while he laughed. He went quiet for a moment, then his eyes drifted back up to John's.

"What if I lose you, again?" Randy asked thickly.

"I don't think you will. Not this time," John reassured him.

Tears formed in Randy's eyes. He freed John's hand and buried his face against the bed to hide his emotions. John stroked the back of Randy's head with his fingertips while Randy sobbed quietly beside him.

THE END


End file.
